Warcraft Love Story
by Greenmaybeaguy
Summary: Set during Warcraft: Legion. A gnome mage with the Kirin Tor happens upon her human childhood friend after ten years apart. While they rediscover their friendship and maybe something more, they find that life isn't always so simple. Inspired by the in-game "Steamy Romance Novel" series of books.
1. Mitzi

It seemed like a normal sort of day, before life suddenly changed for Mitzi. Well, normal as a day could be during these trying times. After doing some quick recon work in Azsuna, which had been made a little more complicated than necessary by the unexpected appearance of some Naga, she had retired to the Legerdemain Lodge with a group of fellow mages. After a round of drinks everyone at the table had finally started to unwind, slowly breaking off into pairs to chat. Mitzi sighed gratefully as she finished off her drink, placing the empty mug onto the table.

"Well, you're enthusiastic today" said her friend Biyu playfully, giving Mitzi a light shove on the shoulder with her paw before downing the rest of her drink in one go. "It's pretty rare you finish before me. What put you in such a good mood, shorty?"

Mitzi just smiled and shrugged. "Just glad the day's over. I've got a day off tomorrow so I'm looking forward to doing some reading." She was a bit irked by the short comment, but reacting to it was just what Biyu wanted. Plus as a gnome being told that sort of thing wasn't exactly uncommon.

Biyu pouted and put her head into her crossed arms. "So you're not gonna stay and have another drink or two? Not even for me?" she asked, slowly turning her big pleading eyes to Mitzi.

Try as she might, Mitzi couldn't look away as she tried her best not to smile. Biyu was a Pandaren, and when she acted cute like that Mitzi couldn't resist. "I… guess I could stay for a couple more drinks, sure. If you insist."

"Great, I do insist! Actually, it just so happens that the next round of drinks is yours, speaking of. What a coincidence!" Biyu beamed, a bit too widely for Mitzi's liking.

"Oh… fine, fine. That's the only reason you want me to stay, isn't it?" Mitzi mumbled as she got up, feeling a bit annoyed.

Biyu scooped Mitzi up in a hug before she could protest. "Oh, you know that's not the only reason! You're so cute when you pout!"

"Let me go, you smell terrible!" After a moment of struggling Mitzi finally released herself, taking some deep breaths.

"Yeah, it has been a long day!" Biyu laughed, completely unconcerned with her body odor. "Anyhow, why not get two drinks apiece? I'll get the next round, we should have some fun."

"Yeah, sure" Mitzi replied, finally just giving up. With a wave she left her friend behind and made her way to the bar, weaving around the various larger patrons.

It was right after she had ordered her drinks that it happened. The bar, which wasn't very crowded to begin with, went quiet as the doors opened and five figures entered the bar. They were all different races, and all clad in various shades of dark leather armor. The one in the front, a tall, thin and imposing human male whose face was almost totally obscured by a leather hood, made his way to the bar only a few seats down from Mitzi as most of rest of his group took up seats around him.

It took her a moment to realize that the only one that did not sit was a troll, who stood right next to her and was looking down at her coldly. "Move. You're in my seat."

For a moment Mitzi nearly did as he said without even thinking. He was nearly three times as tall as her, with tusks that were almost as long as her arm. Of course she was intimidated. But she also didn't like the idea of being pushed around by some angry troll just because he was bigger. "I'm only sitting here until I get my drinks." She patted the stool next to her. "You can sit there until I'm done."

The troll narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Listen 'ere, gnome. You don't wanna be makin' enemies wit' me. Move." The troll moved his hands casually down to the axes at his hips, and out of the corner of her eye Mitzi saw Biyu get up with a stern expression on her face and began making her way to the bar. Mitzi hesitated, already knowing that this was going to get more intense in a moment but she refused to back down just because some troll told her so.

A metallic clinking suddenly drew Mitzi's attention to the human, who had dropped a few gold coins on the counter and motioned to the bartender for one of the bottles displayed on the back wall. He turned almost lazily to look at Mitzi, and even though she could only see his eyes she was annoyed to see that he looked bored. "Sorry ma'am, you might just want to give him your seat. He gets upset when he doesn't…" The human trailed off as the two made eye contact. He just stared at her for a minute, his eyes changing slowly from boredom to disbelief. "Mitzi?" he asked, like he dared not believe it.

The change in his demeanor was so sudden it made her pause. Even the troll stopped and looked at his companion in confusion. Though she was taken aback, after a moment of consideration she nodded her head. "Yes, that's me. How exactly do you know my name?" There was something familiar about those eyes that made her comfortable with at least this.

The human stood up, so suddenly it made her jump. There was a strange moment where Mitzi was sure that he was just going to attack. She found herself reaching for her wand, but her reaction time was too slow. The human was on her in an instant, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her up in the air. Before she even had a moment to process what was happening, she realized the human was laughing out loud. "I can't believe it! It IS you! Oh, thank the Light! I thought you were dead! This has got to be some kind of miracle, right?"

"Wh… wha?" Mitzi managed to blurt out, not knowing what was going on. "Who… who are you?"

"Hey! Put her down, you creeper!" Biyu called out, as Mitzi felt someone grabbing her and freeing her from this human's grasp. "What the hell is the matter with you?!" she asked as she placed Mitzi gently back on her feet.

"Oh, sorry about that" he responded, his tone cheerful as his eyes practically danced with excitement. "I got kind of carried away." Reaching up, he pulled the hood off his head and wrenched the leather mask down to reveal his entire face. His short golden-blonde hair brought to mind a certain nostalgic memory, a friend she thought gone from her childhood. "I couldn't help it. I haven't seen her for so long. But look Mitzi, It's me, Edwin!"

Mitzi's hands flew to her mouth. "Edwin? But… that's impossible…" She looked over the man in front of her, hardly able to believe the words she had just heard. It had been over ten years since they had last met, and even after being told his identity it still took her a moment to see the boy she had once known in the face of this man. However when she met eyes with him again and saw the slightly awkward smile there, she knew it was true. "I thought you were dead."

Edwin grinned like an idiot. "Well, just presumed dead. My parents were glad when I showed up on their-" his sentence was cut off when Mitzi stepped forward and hugged his waist tightly, burying her face into his stomach. "Hey... wha..." he stammered, his face faltering.

"I thought… I thought you were gone forever…" Mitzi mumbled as she pressed her face hard into his stomach. She felt tears in her eyes as she hugged him tighter. "Is it really you?"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm back." Edwin's voice was slow and calm as he knelt down and hugged her back. "I'm so glad to see you again, Mitzi."

The quiet moment between the two ended when Mitzi felt a finger tapping her on the shoulder. Turning to the source she saw one of Edwin's group, a goblin girl dressed in faded red leather armor, who was scowling in her face. "Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt this moment but who exactly are you?"

"Oh, right!" Edwin got to his feet and grinned at his team, who all seemed a bit unnerved by all this sudden positivity. "Sorry I forgot to introduce you! Everyone, this is Mitzi Sprocketwrench, a very good childhood friend of mine." Mitzi wasn't surprised that none of them offered a word of salutation, but he turned to her like everything had turned out fine. "Mitzi, this is Reni," he motioned to the goblin girl who was still quite clearly glaring at her, "Jenus," he motioned this time to an elf, who nodded once at Mitzi in acknowledgement, "Grosh," this time he pointed to an orc, who somehow managed to glare more than the goblin was, "and finally Qiju, who I believe you've already met" he finished, jerking a thumb towards the troll, who didn't even seem to be paying attention. "These are my partners, we've all been together for a while now." Edwin kept that same grin on his face as he pointed at Biyu. "Who's your friend?"

Biyu stepped forward and shook Edwin's hand with a pleasant smile. "Very nice to meet you, Edwin. I'm Biyu, Mitzi's apprentice." Her smile became a bit mischievous as she glanced at Mitzi. "Do you mind if we join you all for a couple of drinks?"

"Of course! It'll be my treat." Edwin walked over and plopped into the seat next to Mitzi and motioned to his old seat. "Qiju, you can take my place. I have some catching up to do. Hey, Bartender!" he offered, turning away to order a round of drinks. Qiju scowled at Mitzi and took Edwin's old seat without a word.

"Well it wouldn't be right to refuse such a generous offer, would it?" Biyu asked with a smirk as she took a seat at the bar in the other side of Edwin.

Mitzi took a seat herself and noticed the rest of Edwin's group all whispering together. As she watched, Reni the goblin poked her head from the group and the two made brief eye contact. Once again she saw that piercing, fierce glare, and briefly Mitzi wondered what she had done to make this goblin hate her so much.

"So, you two work for the Kirin Tor?" Edwin asked Biyu and Mitzi as the bartender brought the first round of drinks.

"Yes, well not just the Kirin Tor, mages from all over the world have come together... in fact Biyu only became my apprentice recently. She's quite talented but still inexperienced." Realizing she now had three drinks in front of her, Mitzi took her first ale and took a long gulp before speaking. While she drank she just stared at Edwin, almost as if she looked away he would just disappear. It was rather surreal, like being back to her childhood. The more she looked at his face the more she felt like things were back to how they used to be.

"I'm quite grateful too!" Biyu replied cheerfully before downing her first drink. "I couldn't ask for a better teacher."

Nodding, Edwin picked up his own drink and took a swig. "Of course not. She's the one who taught me to read after all, I always thought she'd be good at that sort of stuff. I mean I was an idiot as a kid and she still did a good job!" Mitzi found herself a bit embarrassed at how proud Edwin looked, and how much Biyu was laughing.

"Well, what have you been doing Edwin? How... I was told by Stormwind that you were presumed dead. What exactly happened to you?" Mitzi has originally meant to ask about something a little less serious, but had ended up blurting out the one question she truly wanted to know the answer to.

Edwin took another long drink, finishing up his mug and slamming it down gratefully on the counter. He turned to Mitzi with that same grin, though she noticed that it seemed a bit forced this time. "Sorry, but why don't we talk about unpleasant things later, ok? I'd much rather hear about you guys for a while." He motioned for the bartender again before turning back to Mitzi eagerly. "So, tell me what sorts of stuff you've been doing. Have you guys fought the Legion yet?"

The next hour or so went by with pleasant, idle conversation. Mitzi and Biyu told Edwin what they had been doing in their own efforts against the Legion invasion while Edwin sat in rapt attention, asking questions every now and then. If it hadn't been for the four dark figures all in whispered conversation next to them it would have been extremely pleasant.

Right around the time Mitzi was feeling a bit lightheaded and wondering how many drinks she had, Reni suddenly appeared between her and Edwin, poking his arm and completely ignoring her. "Edwin, we have somewhere to be."

"Oh, right!" Downing the rest of his drink in one go, Edwin turned and left a small stack of gold coins on the counter. "Sorry Mitzi, I have to go for now. Some important stuff to take care of. Nothing too serious, don't worry." He smiled reassuringly at her before standing up and replacing his hood and mask. "Are you free tomorrow? Maybe we could meet up for lunch and catch up some more."

"Oh, well..." Mitzi hesitated. Reni was nearly boring a hole through her with her intense glare, it was really throwing her off. "I don't know..."

"Of course she can make it! I'll be sure of it." Biyu declared proudly with a big smile.

"Great! I'll see you here around noon. Oh, it was great meeting you too Biyu." Edwin shook hands with the Pandaren as the two beamed widely. He let go and followed after the rest of his group, who were all filing slowly out of the building. "See ya tomorrow!"

The two were quiet until all five had left the bar, then Mitzi turned to Biyu angrily. "What was that all about? Why did you answer for me?"

Biyu looked taken aback. "What? Were you really not going to meet up with him? But he was so excited! It would be like kicking a puppy telling him no. Plus you seem pretty happy to see him too." Biyu leaned down, her eyes narrowed suggestively. "So... when he says you guys were 'childhood friends' does he actually mean-"

Mitzi put an hand over her mouth, stopping any further words. She felt her cheeks redden. "He means that we were friends when we were children. That's all." She let Biyu's mouth go after a moment, and the Pandaren nodded in understanding.

"Well if you say so then sure. So, I guess the rest of our group has left... Do you want to continue this in my room? I have a keg of ale from back home, good stuff." Biyu was smiling brightly, which made Mitzi suspicious.

"You don't open those kegs unless you have a reason... What are you up to?"

"Mitzi, I'm offended. I'm not up to anything at all." Biyu started to walk away as she continued in an innocent tone of voice, "Of course if you were to tell me how you met that boy and why you cried when you saw him... Well some people might just see that as fair trade for getting to taste the best ale in Pandaria, am I right?"

Mitzi sighed and followed behind. She considered for a moment just not telling Biyu, but if she didn't then that's all she would hear about for the next few weeks was her apprentice begging for the story. "Fine... but we're getting something to eat before drinking more."

* * *

An hour later, stomachs full of chicken and each with a drink in hand, Mitzi and Biyu both settled down into a couple of comfy chairs that Biyu had set up in the corner of her room. The place was far more furnished with personal items than Mitzi's own room, with red and gold silk curtains, a number of lamps that let off differently colored glows of light, and a plush red rug that felt great under her feet.

As Mitzi admired the feel of the rug Biyu took a sip from her mug and sighed in appreciation. "Father DOES brew a great ale. It almost makes up for the fact that he's a lazy drunk." She took another slow sip as she eyed Mitzi curiously. "Now, I believe you were going to tell me a story?"

"Fine... just give me a second." Mitzi took a long draw at her own mug as she thought. She had never actually told anyone this story before. As much as she wanted to just say 'never mind' and leave, a part of her did admit that getting it off her chest might be nice. "It's kind of a long story. Did I ever tell you of my childhood?"

Biyu shook her head. "No, you mentioned that your parents died when you were young but that's about it."

"My parents were traveling merchants. They invented all sorts of small knick knacks, and they'd travel around in a wagon selling them." Mitzi smiled faintly, as blurry memories of her past rose up. "I don't remember much about them to be honest. My mother would sing me to sleep and was stern, my father had a big bushy beard and was kind. They liked to make things together, and they both taught me how to read and write together too. They would both love to hear me read out loud to them. The only other strong memory I have is that I have the same pink hair as my mother. She would make up songs about it to make me laugh." The thought made her smile sadly, she couldn't even remember any of those songs.

"What happened to them?" Biyu asked quietly. It was rare to see her friend so serious, but when the situation called for it Biyu was surprisingly reliable.

"The last time we were together we were traveling down to Ratchet. We never usually went that far, normally we just stayed around Loch Modan but my father had this big deal he wanted to make. So, he and my mother packed up everything we had and we went on a trip. One night... we were camping out in Westfall, right near Darkshire." Mitzi stopped, the next part was always hard to even think about. "We... were sitting by the fire. We had just finished dinner and my dad was going to check on the equipment. Then, a man came up behind him and slit his throat." Biyu's eyes widened in disbelief as Mitzi looked down in shame. "It happened so fast. I remember not even knowing what happened until mom started screaming at me to run. She pushed me towards the woods, and then tried to grab her gun..." tears were falling down her face now. "I just ran. I heard her scream, and I heard someone running after me. But I just ran and kept running until I couldn't move anymore. I remember being so tired I couldn't even cry."

There was a moment of silence as Mitzi wiped her eyes with her sleeve. She felt warm arms surrounding her as Biyu pulled her into a tight hug. "Oh, I'm so sorry Mitzi. I had no idea. Nobody should have to go through that." The two stayed like that for a moment while Mitzi calmed herself down, and finally got her tears under control.

Mitzi finally pulled away from the hug and smiled briefly, knowing she must look like a mess. "Thank you Biyu." Brushing her eyes one more time, she composed herself and continued. "Well, it took me a while to get back to the wagon. I was terrified those guys were looking for me, but honestly I never saw them again. I never even got a good look at any faces. By the time I made it back to where the wagon was... both of my parents were dead. They took the wagon, our horse... they took everything except their bodies. I remember not knowing what else to do, so I took a piece of wood and dug them a grave. After that, I didn't have anything else to do, so I just wandered into a barn and slept for the night."

The two were quiet as they finished their ale and Biyu refilled the mugs. As she sat back down and placed them gently on the table, she broke the silence. "I'm surprised you managed to keep it together at all. I can't even imagine what that must have been like. So what did you do after all that? Is that when you met Edwin?"

A smile managed to cross Mitzi's face. "Well, not right away no. For the next couple of years I mostly just stayed around Westfall, stealing food when I could and sleeping in barns when I could. I remember thinking that I was going to be like that for the rest of my life, stealing to survive. That was until one night I snuck into a particularly small barn..." She could remember the night in question clearly, even now it was one of the sharpest memories she had.

* * *

A young, ten year-old Mitzi opened the barn door as quietly as she could and slipped inside, shutting it behind her as softly as possible. For a moment she just stood there in the fading light of day streaming in through the high barn windows, listening for anyone who may have heard her. After ten minutes of silence she was at least convinced that nobody was coming for the moment and she let out a long sigh of relief.

Scanning the room, Mitzi was glad to see two cows calmly standing there chewing on their cud. Scooping up a bucket from nearby and checking to see if it was dirty, she made her way to the first cow. Petting it gently and whispering some calming words to the beast, she placed the bucket under the udders and filled it with a bit of warm fresh milk. Patting the creature, she said a quiet "thank you" before making her way to the corner where a nice pile of hay seemed quite inviting. She settled down, pulled the bucket of milk closer to her and started pulling out some vegetables she had taken from some of the surrounding farms. Just for a moment Mitzi felt a sense of relaxation, she was in a nice warm place, had enough food and drink, and nobody knew she was here. She could eat this meal in peace.

"Hey, whatcha eatin'?" called out a voice from the hayloft that made her freeze. Very slowly Mitzi looked up and saw a human boy staring back at her. He looked curious, and had a little bit of a smile on his face. His shaggy blond hair almost blended in with the straw all around him. "Looks good."

"Um..." Mitzi didn't know what to say. She thought about just running, but she was sure she wouldn't be able to grab all the food in time. Her eyes darted to the door and back to the boy, only to realize he was already climbing down to the ground. Panicking, she began grabbing all she could and shoving back in the sack.

"Hey, woah!" the boy said, waving his hands at her. "I'm not going to hurt you, I swear! I won't tell anyone you're here either. I was just asking if that was your dinner, that's all."

Mitzi hesitated for a long moment, and then finally nodded. "Yes, it's my dinner. It's all I have."

"Well, it looked like it was just vegetables. You're not going to get full on that. Why don't I get you some food from inside?" he gave her a toothy grin. "I'm actually hungry too, so it works for me as well."

Frowning, Mitzi inched her way to the door again. "I don't think so. I know what you're planning. You're going to call the guards, aren't you?"

The boy frowned at her for a moment, then suddenly reached down to his feet and began fiddling with his shoelaces. Mitzi watched him curiously, unsure what he was doing as he took off both his shoes and threw them to her, both landing near her feet. "There, those are my shoes. You can hold onto those until I get back. Those are proof I'm telling the truth! If I do lie you have my permission to take those!"

The moment was so strange Mitzi was actually speechless. She looked from the boy to the shoes and back again. He had a serious expression on his face, like he was daring her to call him a liar. Finally, not knowing what else to do, she bent over and picked up the shoes. "Uh, ok then."

"Great! I'll be right back." The boy was once again cheery as he walked casually past her and out the door, closing it behind him and leaving her inside. After only a moment it suddenly opened back up, causing her to jump. "Oh right, I meant to say. I'm Edwin. Edwin Ogden. What's your name?"

Before she could even think she found herself responding, "Mitzi Sprocketrench." She cursed herself internally, if he was lying then now he knew her name.

Edwin grinned. "Great to meet you, Mitzi!" he called as he closed the door once more.

It was about fifteen minutes before the Edwin came back. The whole time Mitzi kept thinking about simply leaving, but there was something about the earnest look on Edwin's face when he left that made her stay. When he did return he came carrying a satchel and a pitcher of tea, which he carefully set on the ground before spreading a small blanket. Then, with a triumphant look on his face, he began to pull out a veritable feast. Ham, bread, cheese, bacon, a jar of pickles, another jar of nuts and a couple of apples were all laid out on the blanket. Finally he pulled out two mugs, filled both and passed her one. "Well, let's eat!" Without any preamble, he tore the bread in half and passed one to her.

Reaching out to grab it, Mitzi hesitated. She didn't know why, but this just seemed too good to be true. Then she put down her hand and stared Edwin the face. "Why are you doing this?"

The outstretched hand with the bread drooped a bit, and Edwin looked a bit embarrassed. For the first time since Mitzi met him he looked uncomfortable. "Well to be honest, I don't have a lot of people to talk to around here. You looked like you were lonely too so I was thinking that maybe... we could just be friends?"

His face and toner voice were so serious that it made Mitzi snort with suppressed mirth. Then, before she could stop herself, she was laughing. Edwin's face went from serious to a little annoyed, and Mitzi realized that he had been completely honest. With a little effort she stopped herself from laughing, took a deep breath and smiled at him. "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting that at all. Is that all you wanted?" Mitzi held out her hand to him, palm outstretched. "Alright then, I'll be your friend."

Edwin's face only stayed annoyed for a brief moment. He smiled wider than she had ever seen as he grabbed her hand and gave it an energetic shake. After a moment he let go and offered half of the bread. "Now will you eat?"

Nodding, Mitzi couldn't help but but feel cheerful as she took the bread and started eating, starting with the ham. For the next few minutes the two hardly said a word as they ate, with Mitzi wolfing down her food once she started as Edwin mostly just ate slowly and watched her. She hadn't meant to eat so quickly but once she got started she had realized how long it had been since she had eaten meat.

It was near the end of the meal when she finally slowed down, feeling full and satisfied as the two of them each ate an apple. She had just finished another bite and washed it down with some tea when she finally took a deep breath and spoke again. "Thank you. It's been a long time since I had a meal like that. I'm sorry I came in here to steal some milk."

Shrugging, Edwin didn't seem bothered at all. "You didn't do anything bad, don't worry. Let's just forget about it." He laid down on the blanket, taking another bite of his apple as he stared at the ceiling. "Hey, can I ask you a personal question?"

"Well you're already doing it, aren't you?" She couldn't help but smile as she took a bite from her apple as well, savoring the sweetness. Edwin was already acting so relaxed around her that she was finding it easily to let her guard down just a bit.

"Yeah, I guess so. What do you want to be when you grow up?" Edwin kept staring at the ceiling as he chewed another mouthful of fruit.

The question was rather unexpected, and made her hesitate for a moment before responding. "Well, to be honest, I always wanted to be a mage. Then I could summon all the food I could want. But I know that's not going to be possible."

Sitting up, Edwin frowned at her. "What? Why not?"

Feeling an embarrassed blush fill her cheeks, Mitzi looked down and mumbled, "Well, it's not like anyone will want me as an apprentice. I'm a beggar."

"That's not true! Heck, I'll bet anyone would kill to have an apprentice as cute as you!" Edwin reached out and grabbed her hand, making her jump a bit. "Look, I know you can be a mage if you try! I believe in you!"

That feeling of embarrassment only intensified as Mitzi considered whether or not she should pull her hand out of Edwin's. "Y-you only met me a little while ago. How do you believe in me already?"

"I just do. I dunno." He smiled disarmingly at her and just shrugged. "I guess you just have a trustworthy face."

Not knowing what to say and wanting to hide her red face, Mitzi turned to her apple and focused on finishing it off. As she swallowed her final bite and feeling like her blush had gone away now, she turned to Edwin again. "So, what do you want to do when you grow up?"

Puffing out his chest, Edwin looked rather proud of himself as he proclaimed, "I'm going to join the Stormwind Army! Ever since this new Horde is on the rise they've been recruiting a lot more. I know my parents are against the idea, but I don't really want to live on a farm for the rest of my life."

Somehow it was easy for Mitzi to imagine Edwin as a soldier, clad in the silver and blue armor of Stormwind. However the thought of the young Edwin clad in an adult-sized set of armor, barely able to move made her suddenly burst out into a fit of giggles, which clearly made Edwin a bit upset. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not laughing at you becoming a soldier. To be honest I think you would do good in the army, you certainly seem energetic enough."

The frown on Edwin's face disappeared almost immediately. "You think so? Thanks! You're the first person to tell me that." Finishing his apple with a couple of huge bites, Edwin swallowed hastily before throwing their cores to the cow. "Hey Mitzi, do you have anyplace to stay? Like, for the night?"

"No, not really. I was going to ask if I could stay in your barn tonight, actually. If I can't I..." Mitzi began, feeling more than a little self-conscious.

"No, you can't stay in the barn." Edwin's answer was flat and sudden. Mitzi looked to his face, feeling a bit hurt by his response, and saw that he was grinning at her again. "We have a spare bedroom. You can stay in there."

Feeling her cheeks flushing red, Mitzi shook her head. "W-wait, that's not such a good idea, right? You hardly know me. Plus, I haven't really taken a bath in a long time, and..."

"Mitzi." Edwin's voice was calm and friendly as his hand took hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You're not staying in the barn. You're staying in the house, because you're my friend. If you're not comfortable in the guest bed you can sleep in my bed, ok?"

After a brief hesitation Mitzi nodded. She couldn't help but smile a bit, no matter how much she tried to stop it. "Fine, if you insist. I'll sleep in the guest bed." She couldn't help but feel a bit guilty as she began making plans for later on that night.

It took only a few minutes to clean up the mess once the lights in the house went out. Edwin made his way to the barn door, placed his hand on it and turned to Mitzi. "Now look, just follow me and be quiet. I'll bring you to your room, and then we can decide more what to do in the morning." Edwin was quiet for a moment as he watched her, obviously thinking hard about something. "Mitzi, you said you don't have anywhere to go, right? Are you all alone?"

A pang of sorrow ran through her as she remembered the bodies of her parents. She looked away from Edwin. "I'm all alone, yes."

"Well, I was thinking, why don't you stay here? Not just tonight, come live with us." he asked bluntly. He met her gaze as she looked back at him. "I can't guarantee that my parents will allow it, but they both believe in the Light and helping others. I think if I explain the situation they'll let you live here too."

"Well..." Mitzi didn't know what to say, so she decided to go with honesty. "I don't know. I'll have to think about it for a while. Why are you so sure they'll let me stay here anyway?" she asked suspiciously.

"You seem smart. You can read, right? And you can do math and stuff?" Edwin asked, as if the answer was obvious.

"Well yes but what does that have to do with anything?" she asked, feeling annoyed.

"Just worry about that later, for now let's go off to bed. I need to wake up early to convince the folks!" Edwin said cheerily, opening the door and heading off towards the back door of the house.

Mitzi followed behind silently. Once again that feeling of guilt was welling up. Little did Edwin know that she wasn't planning to be in bed the following morning.

* * *

It was late that night when Mitzi finally slipped out of her room and closed the door behind her as slowly and noiselessly as possible. Just minutes before she had crawled out of bed and gathered her things as quietly as she could. She had waited hours in bed after Edwin had snuck her inside, by now he was sure to be asleep. It seemed like all of the bedrooms were on the second floor, which meant she should have the first floor all to herself for a while.

Though a gnawing sense of guilt was still eating at her, Mitzi ignored it as she walked slowly down the stairs. What Edwin had proposed DID sound nice. A part of her wanted to believe it was even possible. However the rational side of her mind told her that his parents wouldn't be so understanding. That was why, no matter how much it made her uncomfortable, she determined that the best thing to do was to steal a few valuables while she could and run before he realized what had happened.

Leaving her bag near the back door, Mitzi took out a spare cloth sack and made her way silently around the shadowy floor, looking for anything of particular value. It was obvious that the Ogdens weren't overly wealthy, in fact walking around she was struck at how relatively bare the first floor was. However a quick search of the place finally led her to a cupboard, and opening one of the drawers she finally saw what she was looking for. A selection of silverware gleamed in the nearly nonexistent moonlight. Reaching into the drawer with a determined expression, she began grabbing handfuls of the utensils and started placing them in the sack as carefully as she could as to not make any noise.

"Hey… you really shouldn't steal those." The voice made her freeze in place. Hey eyes widened in shock and almost at once Mitzi could feel a cold sweat break out. She turned around slowly, just as Edwin stepped out of a pool of shadows. He was wearing the same clothes as earlier, and it dawned on her too late that he had been patiently waiting for her down here for hours. His expression was calm and neutral, just like his voice as he closed the distance between them. "My mom really likes that set… she uses it when guests come over. I mean they're just silver plated, they're not even that valuable, but still she really likes them, so…" Edwin reached out and calmly took the sack from Mitzi's unresisting hand.

Thoughts of running were racing through Mitzi's head, but try as she might she couldn't quite get herself to flee. There was something about Edwin's expression, something about the way he was looking her directly in the eye without any trace of anger that was making her hesitate. "I… I'm sorry. When you asked to be friends I… thought I could use that opportunity to make some money. I didn't mean to lie to you, but…" she stammered, feeling more nervous by the moment.

Reaching into his pocket, Edwin took out a small pouch and held it out to her. "Here. Take this." Hesitating for a moment Mitzi reached out and took it, feeling something metal clinking around inside. Curiously she opened it up, untying the strings holding it closed deftly with one hand. She was shocked at the contents, as a number of silver and even a few gold coins gleamed in the faint light. "It's the money I made doing odd jobs for the neighbors. It's not really that much but it's way more than you'd get selling the silverware. Plus it's not as heavy!" He grinned at her, obviously proud of himself, before turning back to the drawer as he began placing the silverware in their rightful areas.

Mitzi just looked from the coins to Edwin in complete confusion. "Wh… why are you giving this to me? I was trying to steal from your family. This doesn't make any sense."

As he replaced the last of the silverware Edwin turned around and passed her the now empty cloth sack. "Well I don't like the fact that you did this, don't get me wrong. But I don't think anyone steals because they WANT to. You don't have anyone to rely on, of course you want to make sure you can eat tomorrow." Edwin smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "Plus we're friends aren't we?" The smile faded from his face as he noticed that Mitzi suddenly had tears flowing down her face. "Uh, you ok?"

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked, trying not to choke up. "Y-you just met me today. M-maybe I'm just waiting to steal more stuff from you. Maybe-"

Edwin knelt down in front of her, and before she could do anything he pulled her in for a hug. The two stayed like that for a few minutes as Mitzi buried her face into his shoulder and cried. Finally once she had calmed down he finally spoke. "I'm being nice to you because I want to. When you first entered the barn you looked so serious even though you've got that pink hair. I just wanted to make you smile."

Pushing away from Edwin, Mitzi suddenly glared at him. "What's wrong with my hair exactly?"

"Nothing, nothing at all" he told her soothingly, looking a bit nervous. "It's just that it looks kinda goofy right? I've never seen pink hair before."

"I got this hair color from my mom, you jerk" Mitzi said as she punched him in the shoulder and scowled.

Smiling widely, Edwin chuckled at her response. "Sorry, sorry. I was just messing with you, I promise. Are you feeling a little better?"

Thinking about it for a moment, Mitzi nodded with a faint smile on her face. "Yes I'm feeling better. Thank you Edwin."

He waved away the compliment like it wasn't necessary at all. "Don't mention it. I'm glad to help." His expression got more serious as he pointed at the coin pouch her had given Mitzi. "Now look, think of that money like my shoes from earlier, ok? Keep that on you and if you ever feel like you need to run away you'll have some spending money. But I meant what I said earlier today. I'd still like for you to come and live with us. So, will you stay until the morning? I promise I'll do my best to convince my parents to let you stay."

Mitzi looked into Edwin's eyes. Even now there was a part of her telling her to run with the money. To just wait until he goes to sleep for real this time and simply leave. Staying longer really wouldn't do any good. However the longer she stared into his eyes, the more that she was unsure about running away. Finally she made her decision. "Ok, I'll stay until the morning. But I still don't think your parents are going to ok this."

"Leave that to me" he responded with utmost confidence. Reaching down, Edwin took her hand in his own. "Well, why don't we head up to bed?"

Nodding, Mitzi followed as the two made their way to the second floor. She considered asking Edwin to let go of her hand, after all she knew where her room was perfectly fine, but she couldn't quite get the words out. So she followed instead, trying not to blush too much.

* * *

It was the next morning, and Mitzi could faintly hear the sounds of someone preparing breakfast down below. Edwin was waiting patiently while she put on her shoes and looked into the mirror, wishing that her hair didn't look quite so dirty. "Are you sure I look ok? I really wish I could take a bath or something…"

Smiling reassuringly, Edwin stood next to her and took her hand. "You look fine. I promise, you can take a bath after we talk with them. Plus I want to introduce you so you can join in on breakfast!"

"I just don't know if this is such a good idea. I mean will your parents really take in someone who's not human?" Once again she felt that urge to just run. She couldn't help shaking the thought that when Edwin's parents met her they would tell her to leave, or worse call the local guards to deal with her.

Squeezing her hand one last time, Edwin just grinned. "Trust me, ok?" he asked as he walked with her, out the door and down the stairs.

The first floor looked much different here in the light. Much of the furniture frankly seemed worn or second-hand, but the place was decorated with paintings and pictures on nearly every surface. Mitzi had hardly noticed the night before, being as set on finding valuables as she was. The other thing she noticed was the smell, a delicious mix of baking bread and sizzling bacon that made her stomach rumble.

Edwin didn't even hesitate as he walked boldly into the kitchen. At a small stovetop Mitzi saw a human who must've been Edwin's mother, a tall and rather handsome woman with her blonde hair in a ponytail who was currently arranging bacon on a plate. She didn't even turn around as she laid some more fresh bacon slices onto the pan. "Good morning young man, have you washed your hands yet? You won't be getting anything to eat if you don't."

"Uh yeah I'll do it in a second. Mom? Can I talk to you about something? It's important."

Letting out a sigh, Edwin's mother grabbed a hand towel and wiped her hands as she turned around. "What is it? Can't it wait until…" she paused as she noticed Mitzi. "Well, who is this?"

Wasting no time, Edwin charged directly in with no preamble. "Mom, this is Mitzi. She's a friend of mine I met last night. I wanted to talk to you about maybe letting her stay here. She doesn't have anywhere else to go."

The expression on the woman's face changed, from confused to slightly annoyed. "What? Edwin, I can't just make a decision like that so quickly. I just met this girl a few seconds ago." Sighing, she moved the pan off the heat so as not to burn the bacon before turning back to look at Mitzi and kneeling down to her level. "Is this true? do you not have anywhere to go? Where are your parents?"

The thought of her parents lying dead on the ground made her squeeze Edwin's hand harder than she had anticipated. "They… they're dead. They were killed by bandits."

Edwin's mother sighed again and looked back and forth from Edwin to Mitzi. "Look, it's not that I don't want to help… but I'm just not sure if we can really afford feeding another mouth…"

"Good morning!" bellowed a voice from the doorway, and before Mitzi knew what was happening a large and tanned man was striding into the kitchen. He stopped and looked down at Mitzi with some surprise as he began stroking his blonde beard. "Well now, who is this? A friend of yours, Edwin?"

Nodding quickly, Edwin turned his attention to his father to continue the attack. "Dad, this is Mitzi. She's a friend I met last night. I was just asking mom if she could live with us since she doesn't have anywhere else to go."

The look of pity on Edwin's mother's face was quickly replaced with annoyance again. "Edwin. We don't exactly have the money to spare, and I don't like you asking your father like that when I just told you no."

"She wouldn't be a bother, I promise! Anyhow, I figured that she could earn her keep. She could teach me how to read and do math!" he called, excitedly.

The mood on both Edwin's parents seemed to suddenly change. Both of them gave a look to each other before turning to Mitzi with renewed interest. "Is this true? Could you teach Edwin how to read?" his father asked.

Mitzi considered for a minute, then nodded. "Well I am rather good at reading, at I do know something about math… I'll do my best to teach him, certainly."

"Hmm…" Edwin's father stopped and thought for a minute, stroking his beard absentmindedly, then without a word he turned and left the room. He was back again in just a few seconds, carrying a large book which he handed to Mitzi. "Here, can you do me a favor and read some of this out loud? Any part will do." Flipping the book open to a random page, Mitzi chose the paragraph at the top and started reading aloud. The book seemed to be about various farming techniques, with this particular section being about potatoes. She had nearly reached the end of the page when Edwin's father nodded and took back the book. "That's enough, thank you. I'm quite satisfied. Very well, I'm willing to let you stay here. But there will be some conditions."

The shock of actually being accepted made Mitzi practically speechless. She worked her mouth for a minute before finally asking, "what conditions?" in a small voice, sure that there was some terrible catch.

"It's simple. I just want you to teach my idiot son here how to read, write and other such things. We've hired tutors for him but he never seems to listen or learn. So here's the deal, I want a monthly progress report from you, Edwin. If I'm not satisfied that you're learning enough then I'm sorry but Mitzi here will have to leave. But, as long as you're actually trying then I don't see why we can't make this work." Edwin's father grinned in a way that reminded Mitzi of his son. "Sound fair to everyone?"

"Yes! That's fair! Thank you dad!" Edwin cried, letting go of Mitzi's hand for the first time as he hugged his father.

Edwin's mother looked less than convinced, but she also nodded. "Well, as long as you're actually learning things then it should be fine. You'd better not skip out on lessons like you did with the last tutor."

"I won't, I already said" Edwin mumbled as he let go of his father.

"Well then everyone else agrees, how about you Mitzi?" Edwin's father asked her with a smile.

Feeling a bit choked up with emotion, Mitzi nodded happily. "Yes, that sounds ok to me. I promise he'll learn a lot."

Sitting down at the table with a satisfied sigh, Edwin's father grinned all around. "Alright then it's settled. After breakfast we'll show you your room and we'll get you in a nice bath too, how about that? For now why don't you two wash up a bit before we eat?"

"Ok!" Edwin called, motioning for Mitzi to follow. "C'mon, follow me. I'll show you where the pump is."

Trying not to smile too much, Mitzi followed behind. As she watched Edwin's back she felt a strange stirring in her heart. She wanted to tell him how much she appreciated this, how grateful she was to have found a friend like him. However she couldn't quite find the words, and after a moment of trying she finally gave up, reached out and took his hand again as the two made their way to get cleaned up.

* * *

"So, that was pretty much the next few years of my life. I lived with Edwin's family, teaching him how to read and write and helping him with the chores." Mitzi smiled as she remembered those years fondly. "He was my best friend, we went everywhere together. It was really the first time I ever felt like a real kid, staying up late with him or running around outside for no reason. Sometimes I thought he was annoying or just kind of an idiot, but I treasured every moment I spent with him."

Biyu smiled at Mitzi's words and finished off her ale. "I can see why. He obviously means a lot to you. But I don't get it, if you were such good friends then why did you two even separate to begin with?"

Those thoughts drove the smile away from Mitzi's face. That's right, she couldn't ever forget that part of the story. "Well… all good things have to end sometime. I lived there with Edwin six years, I was sixteen and he was fifteen. He was thinking about joining the Stormwind army since they were recruiting, and at the time I was thinking about joining the priesthood so I would be able to heal him if he ended up going into battle. That was pretty much the plan the two of us had, that is until the summer I turned 16..."

* * *

It was a lazy afternoon, and Mitzi was simply enjoying the breeze in the back yard as she munched on a carrot. A stump near the tree line provided her a place to sit and at this time of day it was covered in the shade as well. She had just completed her chores, and now she was just waiting for Edwin to get back from town while she took it easy. She had just been considering whether or not she should take a nap when Edwin came strolling around the corner of the house. She grinned and waved, and was dismayed to see him scowl in return. Without saying a word, he plopped down on the stump next to her and sat staring off into the distance.

"Um… are you ok, Edwin?" Mitzi asked uncertainly. It was rather rare to see Edwin in a bad mood, but when he was she found it best to just be patient and he'd work it out.

"Fine. I'm just fine" he shot back, still frowning and not making eye contact.

"Alright then." Not knowing what else to say, Mitzi just finished her carrot in silence as Edwin fumed. Now that she was looking at him she noticed that he had a red mark on his left cheek, which he rubbed absentmindedly while he brooded.

After five minutes or so Edwin finally spoke, his face losing a bit of that anger. "It was just… that girl Abigail. You know her? Her parents own the general store."

Mitzi nodded, the face of the girl coming to mind at once. She was a rather pretty red haired girl a year or so older than Edwin and was often working the counter at the store when her parents were busy. "Yes, what about her?" Mitzi narrowed her eyes as she got a sneaking suspicion. "You said something rude to her and she smacked you, huh?"

"No, I didn't!" Edwin snapped back, his face going red with embarrassment. As Mitzi involuntarily flinched away, he looked down at the ground and frowned. "Well.. maybe. I don't know. I don't think I did anything wrong at least."

Sighing, Mitzi picked up a battered canteen and took a drink of water. "Just tell me what happened already, ok?"

Edwin didn't look up as he took a deep breath and spoke evenly. "I went to the store to pick up some stuff for mom. The last thing I needed was a sack of beans, but it looked like they were out. I went up to the counter and asked Abigail if there was maybe one behind the counter I could buy. She was acting kind of weird, asking me what I would do for them and stuff. Finally she told me that I could have the beans for free, but only if I gave her a kiss."

The bottom seemed to drop out of Mitzi's stomach. She nearly choked on her water, coughing up a storm and making Edwin thump her furiously on the back. Finally, when she regained her composure she finally sputtered out, "S-sorry. So… what did you do? Did you kiss her?"

Edwin looked embarrassed. "Well, no" he finally said, reluctantly. "I told her that I'd rather pay for the beans if it was all the same. Then she got really pissed and slapped me. ...It was really awkward paying for everything after that."

For some reason, hearing that Edwin and Abigail did not kiss made Mitzi sigh with relief. "Well, why didn't you kiss her anyhow? She's a pretty girl, right?" she asked, trying to mask her relief.

"Well, sure. Of course she is." Edwin sat up straight and scratched his head, taking a moment to think before continuing. "It's just that… I mean, I guess I'm friends with her… I'm not NOT friends with her at least. If you get what I mean."

"Kind of?" Mitzi asked, unsure.

Sighing, Edwin tried again. "I've never even talked to get for more than five minutes at a time. The two of us are friendly, sure. But I don't even know anything much about her besides the fact that she has red hair, and works at the general store." Frowning, he picked idly at his shoes. "I dunno, I guess the first time I kiss a girl I want it to be with someone I actually know and like."

"Well, that makes sense" she replied with a nod. "Don't feel too bad about it. What you did was better than kissing her when you didn't even like her, right? You should just wait and kiss a girl you feel comfortable with."

"Right, yeah." Edwin's response was given in a vague, faraway voice. He looked like he was thinking hard about something. After a minute he said in a slow and thoughtful voice, "Hey, Mitzi. I was just thinking. Why don't we kiss?"

The question made her jump, and almost without thinking she quickly scooted away from Edwin's reach, falling off the stump in the process. "Wh-what? What do you mean?" she stammered, her heart beating furiously.

Holding his hands up in a calming gesture, Edwin looked a bit panicked as he quickly tried to explain. "Look, it was just an idea! I only said that because I figured that I'm more comfortable with you than any other girl I know, ok?" His face was almost completely red now as he stood up. "Oh, nevermind ok? I'm going to go wash up."

Edwin hadn't even gone a step when he was stopped. He turned and looked down at Mitzi, who was grabbing the cuff of his left pant leg. She was avoiding eye contact with him, her face crimson. "I never said I w-wasn't ok with it" she managed to say in a small voice.

The mood became very awkward as the two of them both made their way back to the stump and sat down next to each other. Both were silent for what seemed like hours, but was probably just minutes, until Edwin got up and sat on the ground right in front of Mitzi. "There. Now we're both at the same level" he said with that same grin he always had.

"Oh… shut up" Mitzi said, avoiding eye contact as she scowled in annoyance. She almost jumped once again when she felt Edwin's hand gently touch her face and move it back towards him.

"I'm gonna kiss you now" was all the warning Edwin gave before his face moved in towards hers and the two were kissing.

In truth, the kiss was brief. Maybe ten, twenty seconds at the longest. However for Mitzi it seemed like time stopped for a moment. She closed her eyes, and she had to resist the urge to reach up and wrap her arms around Edwin's neck. Then, as quick as it began Edwin pulled back and the kiss was over.

The two were once again silent as they stared at each other, neither one breaking eye contact or blinking. Then Edwin once again spoke up. "Well? How was it?"

Mitzi opened her mouth, then closed it as she frantically considered her response. Part of her reasoned that she should just be honest and say that she enjoyed it, yet another part of her was sure that if she said that Edwin would think it was weird. She studied Edwin's face, and was annoyed that he didn't look nearly as flustered as she felt. Finally, in a panic, she responded. "Well it wasn't bad or weird, no. It was kind of like kissing a brother, you know?"

As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them. Mitzi's brain tried to think of something else to say, something else that would explain herself better, but Edwin laughed awkwardly before she could say anything. "Yeah, I guess it was kind of like that, huh? Haha! Well, at least we got got our first kiss out of the way, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right" Mitzi said, trying her best to smile back. Maybe it was just her imagination, but Mitzi got the impression that Edwin was avoiding eye contact with her. "I guess we should get ready for dinner soon, huh?"

"Yeah, mom's making a blueberry pie tonight!" Edwin cheered as he started towards the house. Once again it might have been her imagination, but Mitzi got the feeling his smile was a bit forced.

* * *

It was late the next evening, not long after dinner when Mitzi's reading was interrupted by a knock at the door. Placing a bookmark carefully in her spot she got up off the bed and opened the door to find Mary standing there with two mugs of steaming tea. "Excuse me Mitzi, but I was hoping we could have a talk. Do you mind?"

"No, not at all" she replied cheerily, moving her way to the table and clearing some of the papers and books away. "Please, sit down. Sorry this is all such a mess."

"It's not a problem. Don't worry." Mary's tone was dull and obviously troubled. As the two of them sat down, Mary seemed like she had difficulty getting her next words out. "Well. I heard from Edwin that you're thinking of becoming a priest."

Smiling, Mitzi nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I've been considering it at least. I've been reading some books about it, and while I don't know how strong my faith is, I think that-"

Mary suddenly cut her off, the words spilling out like she couldn't keep them in any longer. "Aren't you only doing that so you can keep being close to Edwin?"

The silence in the room was intense. Mitzi didn't know how to respond right away. "Well… it's true I do want to make sure he's safe… but…"

"I thought you wanted to be a mage. You used to talk about that back when you first came here. You know, right now in Westfall there's a representative from Dalaran. They're testing local children for magical talent, and offering them apprenticeships if they qualify. Why don't you go and try that?" Mary's eyes were stern as she unflinchingly met Mitzi's gaze.

"Well…" Mitzi felt sweat on her forehead. This was all happening so suddenly. She hadn't expected to be confronted like this, and she had no clue what to say. "But… Edwin and I promised…"

"What kind of future do you see yourself having with Edwin?" Mary asked, her face even and measured. "Have you ever thought about that?"

"Future?" Mitzi didn't even know how to reply. What should she say? What DID she see in her future with him? "He's my best friend. I just want to protect him if I can. I…"

"And what happens when he finds a girl, and falls in love?" Mary's question shocked Mitzi, who for the first time realized she had never even considered such a possibility. Edwin was… well, Edwin. She didn't really think of him like that. Before she could think further, Mary continued with that same neutral tone of voice. "More to the point, do you think he's ever going to find a girl to fall in love with if he stays around you all the time?"

Mitzi slowly looked up and into Mary's eyes. A sense of dread came over Mitzi as her words sunk in. "Wh… what are you saying?"

"I saw the two of you kissing the other day. Before dinner." Mary looked away from Mitzi and out the window. "I don't think you two are just friends. Even if you really don't see him like that in the end, he sees you that way."

The silence seemed to stretch out between the two as Mitzi struggled with what to say. Finally, not knowing what else to do, she asked, "Why are you telling me this? What do you want me to do?"

Sighing, Mary took a moment to reply. She looked like she didn't enjoy saying these next words. "I think that it would be best if you and Edwin stopped seeing each other. In the end it will be better for both of you, even if it doesn't seem like that at first." While Mitzi was still struggling for something to say, Mary got up and picked up her mug of tea. "I can't force you to do it of course. That's your choice. But please ask yourself, are you making his life better by staying with him? Or are you just a burden?" She looked like she wanted to say more, but after a moment Mary turned and left the room without looking back.

As the next hour slipped by, Mitzi watched as the steaming tea slowly became lukewarm and then cold. She didn't move from her chair for a long time.

* * *

It was a week later, and Edwin was humming happily to himself as he flipped casually through the pages of the book he was reading. Though Mitzi was technically still giving him lessons, at this point Edwin was almost as good at reading and writing as she was. It made her sad when she realized that even if she wasn't planning to leave their time as student and teacher was almost done.

Finally, after some silence, Edwin shut the book with a satisfied sigh. "Done!" he grinned at Mitzi, an eager look in his eye. "C'mon, let's go! We can still go catch some fireflies if we hurry."

As Edwin scrambled to his feet and started getting ready, he turned and frowned at Mitzi, who hadn't moved a bit. "Hey, what's the matter? Are you feeling sick? You've barely talked today."

Avoiding his eye contact, Mitzi slowly turned to meet Edwin. "I… have something I need to talk to you about. It's important."

"Ok, sure." Pulling a chair closer, he sat down and crossed his legs. "What's up?"

She had rehearsed the lines over and over again in her mind but they were stuck in her throat now that she actually had to say them. There was a long silence before she finally spoke. "I'm going to be going away soon. In a couple of days, actually."

The silence continued as Edwin's face went from blank to confused. "Huh? Why? Where are you going?"

"I met with a mage from Dalaran in Westfall. She's agreed to take me on as an apprentice. She said I might have some talent, but it's probably going to be a bit before she teaches me any actual magic." She was still avoiding his gaze as she muttered, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you this sooner."

For a moment she thought Edwin was going to get upset, or complain or even just get angry. However his face broke into a huge smile and he reached out and hugged her tightly. "That's fantastic! Congratulations! Imagine, one day you're going to be a real life mage! That's gonna be awesome! I'll be cheering you on every day, ok?"

A part of her wanted to be happy with this, to hug him back and thank him, but those words that Mary had told her still echoed in Mitzi's mind. She suddenly pushed Edwin away, a little more forceful than she intended. His face went from happy to confused again, and Mitzi could already feel her heart breaking. this wasn't going to get any easier. "Thank you, but… I've been thinking. I'm going to be moving on with my life. And so are you. So I've been thinking… maybe we should say goodbye here..." She took a deep breath and concluded, "...for good."

Edwin's face seemed frozen in confusion. His mouth opened and closed a couple of times, like he wasn't sure what to say or do. "What do you mean?" he finally croaked, his voice coming out low and pathetic.

"I've really cherished our time together Edwin. But I think we need to face reality. We're two very different people. We need to both move on with our lives. So… when I leave, I think it's probably best if we don't talk to each other anymore." Mitzi was surprised at how easily the words came out now. Her voice was even steady, which was strange because she felt like her heart was breaking.

It took a few moments for Edwin to respond. He looked away, and at first Mitzi thought he was getting angry. His face was screwed up and he looked ready to shout. Then, to her horror, tears began to roll down Edwin's face as his lips began quivering. It occurred to Mitzi that this was the first time she had ever seen him cry. "That's… not a very funny joke Mitzi. Why would you say that?"

"It's not a joke. I'm sorry if this hurts you but… this is for the best." Mitzi felt tears sting the corners of her own eyes but she kept them in with a mighty effort. "Even if it doesn't seem like it now."

"D-did I do something t-to make you angry?" he asked, his voice getting choked up with sobs. He looked like he was about to break down completely. "I'm sorry, whatever I did I'm sorry! Please, just tell me what I did! Was it the kiss? I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable, please I'll do anything to make up for it!"

"You didn't do anything wrong, Edwin" Mitzi was finding it much harder to keep the tears in now. She was shocked at how normal her voice sounded. "I think we just both need to grow up. And this friendship is…" she hesitated before finishing the sentence. Even if this was for their own good this felt wrong. However there was no turning back now. "This friendship is troublesome for me in the end."

Those words seemed to hit him like a punch to the stomach. They even stopped his sobs, and after a moment he turned to her with a horrible expression on his face. A bitter, angry expression she had never seen before. "Fine. I'm sorry I've troubled you." He made his way towards the door, not looking back as he threw it open and ran out, not bothering to shut the door. "We're not friends anymore, happy?!"

* * *

That was the last time she saw Edwin until the day that she left. It was as she was getting ready, packing up her few remaining items in her room. Edwin had obviously been avoiding her ever since their last talk. In fact it looked like he hadn't even been sleeping in his bed. She had finally given in to the fact that she probably wouldn't see him again when a sudden knock on her door brought her back to reality. Before she could answer, the door opened and Edwin stepped inside. His normal grin was nowhere to be seen as the two stared at each other, neither one knowing what to say.

"So, you leave today right?" Edwin finally asked, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Yes. I believe my teacher is coming to pick me up within the hour." Mitzi avoided making eye contact as she looked over her items again, pretending to check that she had everything.

"Ah" was all Edwin had in response.

The two once again fell into silence. Mitzi hated this. There used to be a time where the two would just talk about any old thing and now she couldn't think of a single topic to bring up. What WAS there to bring up?

As she checked her bags one last time, Mitzi suddenly found something she'd forgotten about years ago. A small coin pouch, with a meager amount of money inside. She smiled as she saw it, and turned to Edwin. "Look what I just found. I guess I can give this back to you now right? Guess you really don't need me to hold onto it anymore."

Edwin looked at the offered coin purse with a strange, unreadable expression. His hand raised up for a moment as if to grab it, then he lowered it again. "No. You should keep it." He looked her in the eyes, and for the first time since their argument, smiled at her. "You can give it to me the next time I see you."

Not knowing what to say, Mitzi looked into Edwin's eyes. She nearly forced the purse on him, but after some consideration she put it back in her bag. "Alright, if you insist."

"Mitzi!" came the voice of William, Edwin's father. "They're almost here!"

Smiling sadly, Mitzi turned back to her things and started gathering them up. "Well, I suppose I'd better get ready to go." She looked to Edwin, and a thousand things she wanted to say swirled through her head. All she could manage however was a simple, "Goodbye, Edwin."

She was out the bedroom door and had almost got to the stairs when she was stopped in her tracks by Edwin grabbing her arm and turning her around. He looked her right in the eye as he spoke, a serious look on his face. "Mitzi. I just want to say… even if you don't consider me a friend, even if you think I'm a bother, I will always be there for you." He gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry if that annoys you. But the truth is I'll always think of you as my best friend, So, if you ever need someone to talk to in the future you can always come and find me, ok?"

Conflicting feelings welled up inside of her as Mitzi stared into Edwin's face. She could see there were fresh tears at the corners of his eyes, and his smile was faltering quickly. She had been determined to cut this relationship off completely, but she wasn't some soulless robot who could just ignore her own feelings entirely. She hugged Edwin one last time, briefly and fiercely. "Thank you, Edwin… you will always be my dearest friend."

Before he could respond, Mitzi had let go of him and turned away, quickly walking down the stairs with her luggage. She didn't want Edwin to see her crying. Judging by the sounds she heard as she went down to the first floor, Edwin didn't do so well at keeping in his tears.

* * *

"…and until we met him here today, that was the last time I ever saw Edwin again" Mitzi finished with a sigh of relief. That story had been longer than she expected, it was probably well past midnight by now.

Biyu sat back and drank idly at her ale as she seemed to digest the story. "Well, no wonder you were a bit wary about meeting up with him tomorrow. I can imagine it's going to get a little awkward when you're one on one with him."

Nodding, Mitzi finished her own ale, which she had hardly touched since the story began. "I can't say I'm really looking forward to it, no."

"Still, I don't understand something. You said he was going to join the Stormwind Army right? Then why is he running around with that gang of cutthroats? And why did you think he was dead anyhow?" Biyu leaned in excitedly, ready and raring for more of this story.

"I don't really know why he's running around with those people. That was pretty surprising. I don't really like the look of them." She remembered the goblin girl glaring at her and felt a little angry herself for some reason. "As for him being dead…" she hesitated. For one, she was already quite tired of talking. This whole ordeal also left her feeling a bit emotionally exhausted, right now she really didn't feel like reliving the day she found out he was was gone. "I'm sorry but can I tell you that story tomorrow? I'm pretty tired already."

Pouting, Biyu slumped down in her chair dramatically. "Poo. Fine. If you really have to sleep then go ahead." She grinned mischievously and leaned in. "After all, you have to get ready for your date tomorrow, right?"

"Oh, be quiet!" Mitzi barked angrily, feeling her cheeks flush red.

* * *

It was late that night deep in the sewers of Dalaran, well after Mitzi and Biyu had gone to sleep, when Reni showed up to the meeting place at a seemingly random dead end. At first she thought she was going to be kept waiting for a while, until she saw a hint of movement out the corner of her eye. Jenus stepped out of the shadows, his posture relaxed as he sauntered over and sat on a discarded barrel. His blue eyes seemed to shine in the darkness as he met Reni's gaze. "Alright, I'm here. Now, what exactly is this about?"

"Don't play dumb with me" Reni shot back, not in the mood. "What do you think we should do?"

Sighing, Jenus sat back and stretched his arms lazily. "Do we have to do anything? I mean maybe it's all true. Maybe they are just childhood friends."

Shaking her head, Reni quickly retorted, "I don't think so. He changed so suddenly. We can't ignore the possibility that she has some kind of dirt on him. And if that's the case we need to find out exactly what."

Jenus looked thoughtful, yet unconvinced. "It's certainly a possibility, sure. I just don't see any need to take drastic action-"

"He told me he's thinking about leaving!" Reni finally exploded. She slapped a hand over her mouth, immediately regretting her the volume of her voice. After a moment calming herself down, she finally continued, "he told me that he never considered leaving the group until today. Then he said he wasn't serious but… I know the truth. It's all because of that…" Reni made a fist, and the next word came out through clenched teeth "gnome."

"Hmm…" Jenus was deep in thought now, brow furrowed in concentration. He idly twirled a strand of his platinum hair around his finger until he seemed to come to a decision. "Well, I'm a bit torn. I still don't think there's any truth to it, but if that gnome is blackmailing him with some sort of information that could be very bad. What do you suggest?"

"I think we should ask her directly" Reni responded simply. "That seems the fastest way."

"You know that Edwin will not like that. One bit."

Hesitating for a moment, Reni's face became set in a determined scowl. "We're doing this for him. We just have to take that risk."

* * *

It was the next day, and Mitzi was now sitting nervously at the Legerdemain Lodge's bar as she waited for Edwin. She had got there an hour before the lunch rush, and now she was wondering why she had showed up so early. She couldn't help but glance down at what she was wearing again with a hint of embarrassment. At Biyu's goading she hadn't worn her Kirin Tor robes but instead a small yellow dress that her friend insisted made her look cute. It was just a bit more revealing than she had anticipated, and now that she was sitting here with nothing but that on she felt a bit silly. Every glance that someone would send her way made her want to just curl up into a ball and die. To calm her nerves, she ended up ordering a shot of whiskey. It did not help.

She had been there for around ten minutes when the bartender suddenly walked up and put down a drink she hadn't ordered. "Compliments of the house" he said simply as he turned to help another customer. Not thinking too much about it, Mitzi downed the beer in a couple of gulps. The whiskey hadn't helped but maybe something a little lighter would settle her stomach.

Another five minutes passed and Mitzi was feeling very relaxed. Incredibly relaxed, in fact. That beer had really done the trick. Folding her arms in front of her, she yawned and closed her eyes. Maybe she would take a quick nap before Edwin got here.

By the time she was asleep, she didn't even feel it when the black cloaked figure picked her up, left a note on the bar and walked out without another word.

* * *

The feeling of someone lightly tapping her on the face slowly brought Mitzi back to reality. Her vision took a moment to come into focus, and when it did she realized she was face to face with Reni, the goblin from Edwin's group. "Good, she's awake."

As Reni sat back onto a chair, Mitzi finally got a moment to take in her surroundings. They were in a damp-smelling room made of stone with no windows. A single lamp burned on a small table in the corner of the room, illuminating the four figures all staring at her and casting the rest of the place into dark shadows. Panicking, Mitzi tried to move but she felt her hands bound tightly to the chair she was sitting in. "What's going on? Where's Edwin?"

The elf, who Mitzi remembered was named Jenus, stepped forward and spread his arms in a non-threatening sort of manner. "Edwin's not here I'm afraid. We just wanted to ask you a few questions, in private. It won't take much of your time."

Looking away from him and towards the orc and troll, who were both staring back at her, she didn't feel very reassured. "Does it take four of you to ask me things? Did you have to tie up my hands too?"

"We just didn't want you casting any magic, that's all. And I promise, we're not going to hurt you. Edwin would probably kill us if we did anyhow." The elf gave her a reassuring smile, but all Mitzi could think is that he was the 'good cop' in this situation.

"Well then. What sort of questions do you have for me?" Mitzi tried to sound calm while she thought desperately of some way out of this situation. However nothing in particular was coming to mind, even if she did get free there was still 4 people between her and the door. She glanced to the door and was dismayed to see it firmly shut.

Reni spoke up almost at once, barking out her question almost like an accusation. "For starters, what exactly is your relationship with Edwin? Why has he gone all goofy because of you?"

"Gone goofy? What are you talking about?" Mitzi felt completely confused. "He's the same as he's always been. It's almost like he never grew up or something."

"I've known him since the Cataclysm." Both Mitzi and Jenus both turned to the orc, who Mizi vaguely remembered as Grosh. "He smiles occasionally but he's never been so... giddy. Mostly he's just focused on the mission at hand."

Finding that hard to believe, Mitzi let out a snort of laughter. "You have to be joking. I've hardly even seen him get mad!"

"He's NOT joking, gnome." Reni looked quite upset, and Mitzi once again found herself wondering what she'd done to this goblin. "It's like you flipped a switch in his brain or something. So listen, just tell us. What exactly are your plans for him?" She marched closer to Mitzi, until their faces were almost touching. "I know it's not 'coincidence' that his dead childhood friend just shows up out of nowhere. I know you, or maybe the Kirin Tor, have some kind of plan for him right?" Reni pulled her face back a bit from Mitzi's. "Maybe you just want the Kingslayers working for you, is that it?"

"Reni" Jenus suddenly barked in a dangerous tone. The goblin actually flinched a bit, but still turned back to him defiantly. "That's enough" he said simply, before turning to Mitzi again. "Please, could you just answer the question? What are your plans now that you know Edwin is alive? I only ask because, to be quite frank, our organization is quite nervous. We fear that if you were to ask him to work for you, he wouldn't turn the offer down."

Letting out a growl of frustration, Mitzi glared back at Jenus. "Are you serious?!" She glared at the orc and troll too before glaring at Reni this time. "You have got to be kidding me. This is the stupidest thing I have ever heard." Jenus looked a bit taken aback by her anger, but before he could speak again Mitzi continued. "What are my 'plans' for him? I don't care about him leaving any organization or any of that crap, and nobody told me to go meet him! I just wanted to catch up with him because I was worried about him and I hadn't seen him in a decade you… you…" she searched for the words before finally screaming out in frustration "FUCKING ASSHOLES!"

As Mitzi breathed heavily, seething in fury, the room was nearly silent. Finally, once she had gotten her breathing under control, Mitzi took a deep breath and asked a few questions of her own. "Why do you all care anyhow? How do you know Edwin? Why are you kidnapping me just because he acts weird around me?"

"Hey, we're asking the questions here!" Reni barked back, but Jenus quietly laid a hand on her shoulder, stalling any further words.

"That sounds fair. You answer some questions, we answer some questions." Jenus smiled as he pulled up a chair and sat down, nimbly crossing his legs. "As for myself, I care because I have known Edwin for quite a while now. Ever since he joined the army, in fact."

"Really? I didn't think there were many elves in the Stormwind Army" Mitzi asked, intrigued despite her anger

Jenus grinned and spread his arms out, showing off his dark leather armor and belt with numerous daggers. "I wasn't exactly in the army, my dear. Have you heard of SI:7 by any chance?"

Her eyes widening, Mitzi nodded as her anger finally began to disperse. She'd be more surprised if there was someone who hadn't heard of it, they were a well-known secret organization in Stormwind, made up of some of the best spies and assassins in the Alliance. "Of course I have… so you were a member of SI:7 along with Edwin?"

Nodding casually, Jenus smiled brightly. "Yes indeed. The truth is, we usually look through new young recruits in the army for individuals that might serve better in other roles. I'm the one who recommended him to Master Shaw back in the day. At first he seemed like a bit of a country bumpkin, but he surprised me by being relatively well-read and quick-witted. Plenty of soldiers get far in the army because of their strength or dexterity, but I quite admire a person with a wide variety of skills." Mitzi felt a moment of pride as she realized that she likely had a hand in helping Edwin get promoted to SI:7.

"After that I'm the one who took him under my wing, and I trained him as best I could as we were sent on a number of missions around the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. Honestly there isn't much else to say until the whole Outlands business happened." Jenus sighed like he was remembering something mildly inconvenient as he continued on. "I don't want to bore you with the details, but we ended up doing some missions to disrupt the Naga down in Serpentshrine Cavern. Things were going well for a while, until they weren't. The two of us ended up getting captured, and unfortunately for us they realized pretty quickly that we knew some valuable information. Instead of keeping us there in Outland, they decided it would be more prudent to move us. So the two of us were sent through a portal to Vash'jir."

Mitzi's head was already spinning from all of this explanation. "Wait, wait… captured by Naga? How long ago was this exactly?"

"About six years." Jenus studied her face for a moment before continuing. "You said that you thought he was dead when you first saw him, correct? I assume that was what you meant. When we returned to civilization eventually we had been considered long dead, it was a bit of a process becoming legally alive again. Anyhow, I'm going off topic. Have you ever heard of Nespirah by any chance?" Seeing Mitzi's lack of reaction to the name, he shrugged. "I'm not surprised, it was rather out of the way. Anyhow, we were among the first slaves brought to the creature. We were made to mine pearls from the interior of the beast, even to this day I'm not completely sure why we were doing so. The two of us ended up there for over two years. Truthfully I think they forgot why they we were being kept in the first place because nobody ever bothered interrogating us at all. Of course, that's where we met everyone else."

Turning her attention to Reni now, Mitzi was eager to hear more of the story. "So, were you three sent in to take care of the Naga or something?"

For the first time, Reni did not look pissed at Mitzi. Instead she sighed as she remembered the past, an annoyed look on her face. "No, nothing so cool as that. The three of us actually didn't even meet before Nespirah. We were from three separate ships that all got raided by Naga, my vessel wasn't even affiliated with the Horde. Not that it stopped them from sending the kraken after us anyhow. Jenus and Edwin just happened to be the slaves we were all shackled to. To make a long story short, these two had been hard at work making some weapons we could use to escape. We waited for our chance, and one day when some adventurers attacked we made our move. We killed some guards, met up with the adventurers, and by chance one of them was a shaman who helped us get back to dry land again."

"So what did you all do next?" There was a part of Mitzi's mind that thought she maybe shouldn't be so interested in the words of people who literally kidnapped her, but she was quite curious about what Edwin had been doing. "That was four years ago that you escaped from Nespirah right?"

"We killed Naga." The voice came from Qiju, who had been completely silent up until this point. He smiled savagely and pulled out a necklace of sharp teeth from around his neck. "Lots."

Jenus nodded in agreement, his face a good deal more serious. "Well, basically yes. We were all a bit angry with the Naga, so the five of us decided to join forces and bring the fight to them. It wasn't easy, and in the end we couldn't completely drive them out. It IS the ocean after all. But we did disrupt their operations quite a lot over the next couple of years, I must admit. When all that was finally over, we all really didn't have anywhere to go. SI:7 took us back in of course, but ever since that situation we've pretty much been designated as free agents. So, Edwin and I just decided to continue travelling with these fine fellows here." While Mitzi was still digesting this information, Jenus leaned forward as his face grew a bit more serious. "Alright, my turn to ask a question to you then. How exactly did you meet Edwin?"

Mitzi groaned in annoyance. She had literally just told that story the other night. "Do you really need to hear that story?"

The smile Jenus gave was friendly but unyielding. "Yes, I'm afraid so. I'd like to get a better idea of the relationship between you two, same as Reni here."

Reni punched the elf in the side hard enough to make him yelp. "Shut the hell up!" She turned angrily to Mitzi, clearly annoyed. "Just tell us already. The longer you stall the more time this will take."

With a sigh, Mitzi nodded and began to tell the group the story she had just told Biyu the previous night. She skipped some details here and there, like the kiss and some of the terrible things she told Edwin, but soon she finished her story with her going off to Dalaran to become a mage.

Jenus nodded as Mitzi finished her story, "I see. That fills in some of the blanks for me, thank you." He sat back and crossed his arms expectantly. "Alright, your question?"

"Oh, right." Mitzi thought for a moment, not having anything prepared. While she stared at the four figures in front of her thinking of something to ask, her eyes gravitated to Grosh, who had begun sharpening a sword absentmindedly. Something he had said earlier came up in her mind and she finally asked "Earlier you said that Edwin is much different around me… what exactly do you mean by that?"

Grosh looked up curiously when he realized he was being addressed. He looked back down and kept sliding his whetstone along the blade as he spoke. "Just what I said. He's never acted like that. I'm not sure if you want to hear this, but that man has left thousands of bodies in his wake. If I didn't see him acting the way he did, I would never have believed it."

A snort of laughter came from Mitzi. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" she said, smiling uncontrollably as Grosh glared at her. "I just… have such a hard time believing that. He's always been so nice."

"Hmm… tell me Mitzi. During the Pandaria campaign, you were stationed at the Isle of Thunder, correct?" Jenus asked suddenly.

The complete change of topic completely threw Mitzi off. "Um… well, yes."

"And while stationed there, you were part of a scouting mission that went wrong?" Jenus asked curiously. "One you barely survived?"

Nodding faintly, Mitzi felt quite confused. "Yes. I went on a mission with 4 other mages. We were supposed to scout out an area we thought would be good for teleportation. While we were making some readings we were attacked by Mogu, and they captured three of us." The thought of that dark day made her shudder. The mogu had been brutal with the two mages they did kill, cutting one's head off and siccing quilen on the other.

"How were you able to escape?" Jenus looked rapt with attention as he leaned in.

"Well, for an exciting setup like that there's not much payoff. We only ended up being captured for a few days, when they were moving us to a new cage the bonds around my hands came just loose enough that I could get out. Then before they knew what happened I opened a portal back to Dalaran. I was able to get my two fellow mages back too, even though I just pulled them through the portal with their restrains on. We stayed there in Dalaran for a few more days to recover, and then before we could get sent back to Pandaria there was that incident where the Sunreavers stole the Divine Bell. Since Dalaran needed as much help as possible after all that I never got a chance to go back to the Isle of Thunder. Honestly it was just luck that we made it out alive." As she finished her story, Mitzi realized they had never actually answered her question about Edwin. "Hey wait, it's still my question right?"

Waving impatiently at Mitzi, Jenus responded quickly. "This relates to your question. Give it a moment. Now let me ask you something, when you two met earlier, you thought he was dead, right? Didn't you wonder why he thought YOU were dead?"

The question made her pause. Now that she thought about it, that question hadn't even crossed her mind at all. "Well go on, why did he think that then?" she demanded. "I'm assuming it has to do with that incident?"

"Indeed it does. Please, permit me to tell you the whole story from our end. Maybe you'll understand Edwin from our point of view a little better. You see, after the Cataclysm and our mission against the Naga, by the time we got back to civilization the Pandaria business was underway. Those of us with family took a bit of time going to assure them we were alive, and then we all went to Pandaria to undertake some personal missions. Edwin had gone to his parents, and then to Dalaran up in Northrend before meeting up with us. There, he had learned that you were deployed to the Isle of Thunder along with Lady Proudmoore and the rest of her entourage. So, when we finally got there that's the first place we went." Jenus looked Mitzi in the eyes, his face a bit troubled. "I'll never forget that day. We had finally reached the Isle and made it to the Kirin Tor's base camp. Grosh and Qiju had to wait outside, but we were able to bring Reni with some persuasion."

* * *

It was just turning dusk as Jenus, Edwin and Reni entered the campsite. One of the Kirin Tor's guards, a human clad in dark armor with their purple and gold tabard displayed proudly, was leading them through the ruins that the mages had sent up camp in.

As Edwin turned to look at every person they passed, obviously looking for someone, Jenus tried not to smirk. Edwin had been rather patient these last few weeks, but now that they were nearly here Jenus had caught the boy with a dumb little smile every now and then. Deciding to tease him a bit, Jenus walked closer and nudged Edwin in the arm. "Hey, calm down. It doesn't matter how quickly you see her, right?"

Frowning as his face turned a bit red, Edwin grunted and marched ahead without responding.

"Leave him alone" Reni said wearily, moving between the two of them as she scowled at Jenus. "He's not in the mood."

The guard stopped before a purple tent, adorned with the golden eye of the Kirin Tor. He turned and nodded at the three of them. "I'm afraid Lady Proudmoore is quite busy at the moment, but in here you'll find Archmage Lan'dalok, he just returned from some field work today and should be able to assist you with whatever you require." Nodding briskly, the guard took his leave.

Taking a deep breath, Edwin wasted no time in pulling aside one of the tent flaps. A high elf with black hair and piercing blue eyes looked up at them from a table full of documents as the three of them filed into the tent. Two guards eyed them from either side of the elf, but they made no move as everyone got comfortable. "Excuse me, sir" Edwin pulled out a sealed envelope and passed it across the table with no further explanation.

The archmage took the letter and broke the wax seal casually with a small knife. Withdrawing the letter he scanned it briefly before nodding and placing the note on top of a small pile of papers. "Very good. I'm glad SI:7 has come to grant us some assistance. I know that there were some…" he glanced briefly at Reni before continuing, "...reservations with us hiring your team, but from what I hear you get the job done. Now, I believe that as far as orders go-"

"Just a moment, sir." Edwin looked anxious, almost vibrating in place. "I was hoping to speak to one of the mages that you had stationed here. Her name is Mitzi Sprocketwrench."

Lan'dalok looked mildly curious as he nodded. "Yes, I know of her. Rather capable girl, I do say. Do you have business with her?"

Pausing a moment before speaking, Edwin smiled wistfully. "No, she's just… a friend."

One of the guards, who has a rather uncomfortable expression on his face, leaned in and whispered something into the archmage's ear. "What? Are you sure?" he asked out loud, alarmed.

"Excuse me, is everything alright?" Edwin asked, his expression becoming serious at once.

The look that Lan'dalok gave Edwin told Jenus all he needed to know, the words only confirmed it. "I'm very sorry. I myself just got back to base camp after an extended stay out in the field, I wasn't aware of certain developments. I'm afraid to inform you that your friend Mitzi was part of a scouting group that was ambushed over a week ago. At the moment she isn't confirmed dead, however… we did find two bodies, so we presume the worst." As Edwin's face seemed to drain of color, the archmage bowed his head low. "I offer my deepest apologies. I knew Mitzi. Not well, but I did know was a kind soul. She will be greatly missed."

Edwin's seemed frozen for a long moment as he just stood completely still. Then, slowly, he began to shake. His hands balled up into fists as his whole body started to tremble. "Your deepest apologies?" Before anyone could react Edwin lunged forward, grabbing the elf by the scruff of his robe and pulling him across the desk. Papers scattered everywhere as Edwin smashed the top of his skull into Lan'dalok's nose, letting out a sickening crack. Edwin's face was monstrous, teeth bared and eyes wilder than Jenus had ever seen as the elf's blood ran down from his forehead. "You fucking piece of shit! You… you…" Edwin seemed absolutely lost for words as he just grabbed Archmage by the shoulders and shook him angrily, gritting his teeth in fury.

The guards, who had been just as stunned as anyone else, both seemed to snap out of it at once as they moved in to help. Edwin didn't waste a moment, taking a small pouch of blinding powder from his pocket and throwing it in the first guard's face before turning and kicking the second in the knee as hard as he could. The second guard buckled, and a sudden vicious punch to the face drove him to the ground. As the first guard dropped to the ground clutching his face Edwin turned to Lan'dalok again, eyes blazing. "I left her with your organization because I thought you would PROTECT her! I would never have fucking let her go if I knew the truth! Give her BACK to me!" After halfheartedly shaking him a few more times Edwin dropped to his knees, hands still clutching the front of the Archmage's robes as he put his head against the desk. "Give her back" he muttered, much quieter. His hand finally let go of the robe and he slumped completely to the ground.

In the moment of silence Jenus and Reni merely looked at each other, completely dumbstruck. Neither knew what to say or do.

"Alright, get up!" The second guard was on his feet again, rubbing his jaw and limping a bit as he made his way to Edwin. "You're coming with us, you psycho." The first guard was also getting up, washing the powder out of his eyes with a canteen. Neither one looked happy in the slightest, and Jenus was pretty sure Edwin was going to get kicked rather hard by these two for his troubles.

"Wait." Archmage Lan'dalok was settling back into his chair, holding a handkerchief up to his bloody nose. "We will overlook this particular transgression." Ignoring the stunned looks of his guards, he turned to Jenus and Reni. "Please, take your friend and let him get some rest."

"Sir, he struck you! And assaulted us! Are you quite sure?" the second guard asked, who looked like he really wanted to hurt Edwin a bit.

"Yes, I'm quite sure." With a serious expression he looked down at Edwin, who was still crumpled on the floor. "We have some minor injuries that a priest can heal. I don't think he's quite so lucky."

It was only now that the whole tent fell into silence when Jenus realized that Edwin was crying, low and quiet. After a long moment, Reni stepped forward and put an arm around Edwin's shoulders. "Hey, let's go find somewhere to sit down, ok?" she asked gently. "Come on."

"Thank you very much for your patience. I'm quite sorry about all this" Jenus said, thankful beyond words that the mage didn't want to make this a personal issue. The Archmage nodded, still clutching the red-soaked handkerchief to his face.

Edwin got up slowly, tears and snot streaming down his face. He wiped the whole mess onto his sleeve, and then made his way towards the door without a word. Before he left, he stopped and stood there for a moment. His hands slowly clenched into fists. "Archmage. Who did this? Who killed her?"

"Who?" the elf looked confused as one of the guards whispered to him again. "Well, it looked like she was ambushed by a mogu raiding party. Why do you ask?"

"Why do you think?" Edwin's face as he turned around was calm, but his eyes were full of that unmistakable killing intent. "I'm going to avenge her death."

As Edwin began walking briskly towards the edge of the Kirin Tor outpost, Reni and Jenus had to run to keep up. "Edwin! Stop! What do you think you're doing? This isn't going to solve anything!" Jenus yelled at him, ignoring the looks of the various people they passed. Growling in frustration as Edwin completely ignored him, Jenus ran ahead and leapt out in front, blocking the path ahead with arms spread. "You're just going to get yourself killed! Don't be an idiot!"

"Jenus." Edwin's voice was barely calm, and he spoke through gritted teeth. "Get out of my way or I'll MAKE you. Do you really expect me to sit here and do nothing?!"

The was a twinge of uncertainty as Jenus stared down the younger rogue. While he was pretty sure he could beat Edwin if they got into a real fight, the truth is he was by no means certain. Deciding to go with reason, he looked to Reni with a pleading look. Though Jenus hated to admit it, the goblin was the best bet to calm him down right now. "Reni, please. Talk some sense into him."

Turning from Jenus to Reni, Edwin locked eyes with her. "Well? Are you going to get in my way too?"

The two stared at each other for a long moment, Reni's lips pursed in thought. "No. I'm going with you" she finally stated, her face set.

"Reni!" Jenus yelled, anger creeping into his voice.

Reni moved to Edwin's side and gave Jenus a look of apology. "I'm sorry. I think this is wrong too, honestly. But if he's going to go out there I'm going to make sure he doesn't get stabbed in the back."

Turning to her, Edwin seemed to lose a bit of that anger for a moment. "...Thank you, Reni,"

"You two…" Jenus found himself speechless as he tried to look for the words. Finally, he gave up. It would be practically impossible to stop them both now. "Fine. But don't think you're getting any help from me. I don't participate in suicide missions."

"Do what you think is right, Jenus. If we're not back in two days assume we've died." With those rather anticlimactic last words the two turned and left to where they had tethered their mounts.

Sighing, Jenus stood there for a moment before retrieving his hawkstrider and riding off inland. In the small clearing they had found a ways from the base, Grosh and Qiju looked up at the elf from the campfire, neither saying a word as he dismounted. "Edwin and Reni won't be joining us for a bit. They said they'd be two days, but I wonder if they'll come back at all."

"Whatcha sayin'?" Qiju asked, pulling a stick out of the fire. A large lizard sat skewered and roasted at the end, and the troll happily munched on it much to Jenus' disgust.

"Didn't he find stupid friend of his already?" Grosh asked, pulling two more sticks out of the fire and offering one to Jenus. To the elf's relief, there was a fish at the end of this particular stick.

Shaking his head, Jenus sat down on a log. "No. That's the problem really. They think she's dead. She's been missing for a while now. So Edwin went wild, headbutted the archmage in the face and then ran off with Reni. He says he's going to kill all the mogu he can now."

"Hmm…" Qiju smiled slyly as he reached down and took out a handaxe. The edge gleamed in the firelight. "Mogu 'unting, eh? Sounds fun." Jenus felt that irritation coming back as Qiju pulled out a vial and began carefully applying it to the edge of his blade.

"Might as well" Grosh said with a sigh as he finished off his fish and tossed the remains in the fire and turned to Qiju. "I'm bored. Let's go find the others."

For a moment Jenus thought about trying to stop them, but just sighed and stood up again. "So, what, you just plan to go along with that? Kill mogu forever?"

"Not forever. Two days" Grosh responded, checking his weapons. "You coming?"

Nodding wearily, Jenus stood up and stretched his legs. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."

* * *

The long silence made Mitzi anxious as she waited for more. "Well? What happened? What did you guys do?" she asked Reni, who didn't seem to be meeting her gaze.

"What do you think we did? We went out there and killed mogu. For two days." The memory didn't seem to be particularly pleasant, and Reni shifted uncomfortably before continuing. "I'm not gonna bore you with the details. Plus I really don't want to talk about them. But what's important is this: by the time we were done, I think we killed around 700 mogu. Give or take a few dozen."

Mitzi stared back at Reni, shaking her head. "What? That's crazy. So you're telling me you each killed around 150 mogu?"

Leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms, Reni finally looking Mitzi in the eye again. "No, I was mostly just watching his back. I probably killed 50 or so mogu, maybe 55 at most. Edwin killed far more than me, I lost count around 300. He fought like a man possessed. Though in the end 700 isn't even all that much since the Thunder King could just make more, it DID make them take notice."

Jenus nodded as he began to recall those events. "We hunted down the random scouting packs first, and then when we all met up we started moving closer and closer to the main palace. It was right around that two day mark that he finally stopped. Not because he wanted to, just out of pure exhaustion."

"He was a lot different after that day." Reni sighed and shook her head. "Well, not that he was a perfect saint before that or anything. He killed a lot of Naga too. But after that it was like he just stopped... caring as much. After the whole Pandaria business ended we got hired by the Horde to sabotage the Iron Horde's operations in Draenor, and he was ruthless. He almost always had the highest kill count on any mission we performed."

"I… I had no idea about any of this." Mitzi felt strange as she thought about Edwin and this whole situation. A part of her thought that maybe she should be freaked out that he was a killer. Yet, truthfully Mitzi had taken lives as well during her time with the Kirin Tor. Not nearly thousands or even hundreds, but more than a couple of living creatures had died at her hands. That and, despite whatever else she may have been thinking, right now Mitzi had the sudden urge to talk with Edwin. To tell him it would be ok.

"Well now that you do know about all this it should make our job easier." Jenus stood up now and took a couple of steps closer to Mitzi. "Consider this my next question as well if you'd like. Will you please stay away from Edwin?"

A cold silence fell between everyone in the room. Nobody spoke as Mitzi got flashbacks to that fateful day with Mary. "Why exactly should I do that?" Mitzi asked, trying to stay calm.

"At first I thought there was at least a possibility that you were blackmailing him, or maybe that you were a demon in disguise or something. Your timing was just too perfect. However I believe you have no ill intentions. But that doesn't change the fact that you seem to be extremely important to him. So much so that he would kill for you, and I think die for you as well." Jenus maintained eye contact, his eyes unflinching. "Normally I wouldn't care, but this isn't any normal circumstance. The Legion is invading. I don't think that you should be there, confusing his mind at this crucial period. I'm not cruel though, once this whole business ends I have nothing against the two of you fraternizing, but please just go about your business and let us do the same."

Trying her best to stay calm as her heart beat wild in her chest, Mitzi shook her head. "I want to talk to Edwin. One more time at least."

"Look I am trying to be civil here. This is bigger than you or me, ok?" Jenus spoke calmly though a look of frustration flashed across his face. "Like I said, just focus on the Legion for now. Nothing's to be gained by confusing-"

"Edwin is my friend. I'm going to go and see him again. I feel like I have to talk to him. If he wants me to stay away after that then fine, but I'm not going to do what you ask no matter how nice you are about it." Mitzi glared at the elf, feeling completely fed up with all this.

As Jenus scowled back, his temper finally seeming to get the better of him, Grosh pushed past him with a grunt. "Out of my way. I'm done with this." Reaching down, Grosh grabbed the back of Mitzi's chair and lifted her up completely, raising her to his own eye level. "You listen to me. I'm through playing games with you. Leave him alone, or I'll do something about it." From his belt the orc pulled out a knife, which he held lazily in his left hand.

Reni turned to Grosh, an alarmed expression on her face. "Wha? Put her down, you big idiot!" she screamed at the orc, who ignored her.

Her heart was thumping furiously now as Mitzi felt her body tremble. It was all she could do to keep eye contact with the orc in front of her as sweat started to bead all over her body. "I-if you hurt me the K-Kirin Tor will find out a-and…"

"Will they? Will they find out if you just vanish today? Maybe you just had a nasty little accident." Grosh moved the knife in his hand, almost as if savoring the feel of the handle. "So why don't you-"

"Why is the door open?" Reni's question froze Grosh mid-speech, and everyone turned to see the door indeed standing slightly ajar.

The silence lasted only a moment as Jenus turned quickly to Qiju. "Check the door, now!" The troll did not move or speak, and now that Mitzi actually paid attention she noticed that his head was drooped a bit, as if he was taking a nap. "Shit" Jenus cried, pivoting back towards Grosh and Mitzi.

A figure moved quickly from the shadows, bringing a knife swiftly up to Grosh's neck. The other hand moved another knife to rest against his side, sliding between a small gap in the orc's leather armor. It took Mitzi a second to recognize this figure as Edwin, whose eyes were blazing with anger. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked, his voice surprisingly calm.

"Edwin. How long have you been here? What did you do to Qiju?" Jenus asked, and though he sounded calm as well Mitzi couldn't help but notice that his hands were shaking a bit as they casually moved towards his sheathed sword. "Please believe me, this isn't what it looks like. We meant your friend no harm."

"If you touch your sword I will kill him" Edwin said bluntly, and Mitzi saw him press the blade a bit further against the orc's throat. Grosh groaned with unease as a small trickle of blood appeared from where the knife's tip barely punctured the skin. "As for Qiju, I just knocked him out. He'll be fine. And I've been here long enough. Now," Edwin looked Grosh in the eye and said his next words through gritted teeth, "Put her down right now."

Taking a deep breath, Grosh spoke slowly and carefully. "Edwin. I know this is hard to accept but we were thinking of the greater good, it might be best if-"

Mitzi saw the orc wince as Edwin moved the dagger against his side slightly. "Grosh. You don't seem to understand. I am not having a discussion about this. I am not asking you as a friend, or anything like that. I am TELLING you to put her the fuck down. Right. Now!" Reluctantly, Grosh lowered her back to the ground without a word. "Good. Now, cut her loose."

As Grosh leaned in to begin untying Mitzi, Edwin followed, still keeping the two blades trained on the whole time. "This is a mistake, Edwin. Do you intend to break the oath we all took together?"

"I made the mistake? ME?!" Edwin laughed, though there was no humor in his voice. "Shut up. You think this isn't breaking your oath? How about I go and kidnap your sister, huh? I heard she works at one of the weapon shops in Orgrimmar. It shouldn't be that hard to sneak in and grab her while she sleeps." He smiled savagely, baring his teeth to the orc. "What was her name again? Seris?"

"You piece of shit" Grosh fumed, turning his attention away from Mitzi for the first time. "How did-"

"He's trying to mess with your head, Grosh. Stay calm." Reni quickly looked from Grosh to Edwin, a frantic look on her face. "Listen, she's free ok? So why don't you just put down the weapons, and we'll all have a nice talk."

"Reni" Edwin said, his voice severe. The goblin flinched as he looked to her, meeting her gaze. "To be honest I'm surprised to see you here. I didn't think you would do this to me."

"Edwin… I…" Reni looked like she was going to cry.

"Put down the knives, Edwin. She's right, we'll just talk. Things got a little out of hand there at the end, that's all." Jenus' voice was calm and measured, though Mitzi noticed that he was slowly moving closer and closer.

"Yeah… alright. Fine. I guess we all got a little crazy there for a minute." Edwin pulled the blade back from Grosh's side, and after another moment of hesitation he lowered the other from the orc's throat.

Everything seemed to happen at once. Jenus lunged forward, hand flying down to his belt as his eyes narrowed dangerously. Meanwhile Edwin lashed out with a foot, kicking Grosh in the stomach and driving him backwards. Grosh and Jenus collided and fell into a heap, and before Reni could do do anything Edwin pulled something from his pocket and smashed it on the ground. The room seemed to explode into smoke, a grey fog filling up the enclosed space in a matter of seconds. Mitzi began to cough and choke as her lungs filled with the stuff, and before she knew what was happening someone was lifting her up and running.

Bursting out into the relatively clear hallway, Mitzi felt relief flooding through her as she saw Edwin holding her and taking a few grateful deep breaths. He turned and slammed the door shut with his shoulder before running off towards the right. "Are you alright?" he asked as he turned a corner and stopped for a moment. "Did they hurt you?"

"N-no. I'm fine" she said, looking away from his gaze. She was feeling nervous now, with his face so close to hers.

"Good. Thank the Light" Edwin's relief relaxed his whole body notably, and he smiled at her. Before he could say any more, the sound of a door banging open sounded from the direction they had come. Edwin readjusted Mitzi, moving her to his back and putting her arms around his neck. "Crap. Don't let go!"

Holding on tight, Mitzi pressed her face into Edwin's back as he ran. As they turned another corner Mitzi was quite surprised to see a three people standing there, all clad in various deadly-looking sets of armor. The one nearest to them, a worgen, perked up as he saw them approaching. "Ah, Edwin. What's the rush?"

"No time, sorry!" he yelled back, dodging around them as he flew down the hall.

"Stop them!" came Grosh's voice, a bit faint but still clearly audible. Looking over her shoulder Mitzi was dismayed to see the three figures all follow behind them almost in sync, dashing after them without even a word of question.

"Shit, shit, shit…" Edwin muttered as he hit another intersection and went left without a moment's hesitation. Mitzi tried not to think about the fact that the footsteps behind them were getting closer. "There!" he finally cried, as he came across a narrow flight of stairs. Taking them two or three at a time, Edwin made his way up until coming across a stone wall with a curious knocker. Before Mitzi even had time to be bitterly disappointed at this apparent dead end, Edwin grabbed the knocker and rapped it once, causing the wall to swing outwards.

Quickly moving through the door, Edwin slammed it behind himself. Mitzi had only a moment to take in the room, which she realized was the second floor of some sort of armor shop, before Edwin moved and started pushing a large chest to block the door. Without ceremony he began throwing pieces of armor and anything else heavy he could find in a pile around the secret doorway. "Can you make portals?" he asked, his voice steady but urgent.

Taken aback by the question, she nodded. "Yes, but it's going to take a few seconds to cast."

"Don't worry, I can give you that much" he said confidently, grinning at her. His grin faltered as the door opened a crack, straining against the makeshift barrier.

"Hey, what the hell is going on up here?" asked a voice as footsteps started coming up the stairs.

Letting out a loud sigh, Edwin rushed towards the stairs and leapt down them without even looking. Mitzi could see a dwarf staring up at them in awe as they sailed over his head, Edwin landing at the bottom with only a brief grunt. Mitzi could see that this place was the Dalaran blacksmith, though judging by the fact that the fact that the furnace was off and the doors shut it was probably closed to the public. Instead of running outside like she had expected, Edwin instead rushed into the building, choosing a room and slamming the door behind him. Pulling out a small metal tool, Edwin inserted it into the lock and after a moment Mitzi heard the it click into place.

Edwin finally put her down and nodded at her. "Ok, go ahead and cast it." Without waiting for a reply, he moved across the room to a large wooden desk and with a heave started moving it towards the doorway.

"Here?" Mitzi asked, a bit unsure. She could already hear the voice of the Dwarf shouting as he banged on the door.

"Yes, here! Come on! Make a portal to Stormwind!" he yelled back as he pushed the desk into place.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, Mitzi tried to block out the increasing noise building in the hall. It sounded like more people had showed up. After a moment she began to chant, and as the words came naturally to her she felt her pulse slowing down and her shaking subsiding a bit. Raising her hand, Mitzi concentrated on a point in space in front of her and concentrated. At the spot her finger indicated a small hole seemed to form in the air, gradually widening as Mitzi kept chanting. The edges of the portal were unstable at first, fluctuating wildly as it formed. As it reached the complete size however, it began to become more stable until finally the hole stopped moving entirely, a large oval window hanging in midair.

"It's done!" Mitzi called to Edwin, who was bracing himself against the door.

"Ok! Then let's go!" With no preamble, Edwin leapt towards Mitzi and scooped her up in one movement as he sprinted for the portal. The door crashed open almost at once, hitting the desk as a man clad in dark leather tried to squeeze himself inside.

As Edwin jumped through the portal Mitzi could see the door finally get forced open entirely. To her shock she worgen they saw earlier push past the others and lunge towards them, fangs bared. With a gesture, Mitzi closed the hole in space right before he was about to reach it. She let out a long sigh of relief as Edwin just stood there, catching his breath. They could finally relax, if even for a second.

"Excuse me." Both Mitzi and Edwin turned to see a hunched old man with a short grey beard and a large pointed hat. He adjusted his reading glasses as he looked at them thoughtfully. "Are you ok? You seem rather distressed."

"Um, we're fine." Mitzi looked at Edwin and motioned towards the floor. It took him a second to realize he was still holding her, and he quickly put her down again as his face flushed red. Mitzi composed herself and bowed to the old man. "Thank you for your concern."

The old man nodded and returned to his book as Edwin started towards the exit, motioning for Mitzi to follow. "Come on. I know a place we can lay low for a bit."

As the two left the tower and began walking through the bustling streets of Stormwind, Mitzi began to realize that she had absolutely no idea what to say to Edwin. Her mind felt like it was overflowing with the things she had just heard not long ago, but she had no clue how to go about bringing it up. Where would she even begin?

It was while she was lost in thought that she was suddenly brought back to reality by Edwin, who reached down and tousled her hair. "Hey, are you listening to me? I said 'do you want me to buy you a new dress?' Your current one isn't doing so hot."

Looking down at her dress, Mitzi was shocked to see that he was right. The yellow dress she had worn was now wrinkled, and a few small rips and tears stood out quite notably. One large rip ran up the left leg, and Mitzi blushed as she realized it went all the way to her thigh. "Yes, please" she managed, now feeling self-conscious.

* * *

It was less than an hour later, not long after the two left Stormwind and started towards Goldshire. Mitzi was now wearing a blue robe, which was a bit big on her, but nothing she couldn't get used to. As she watched the town slowly appearing in the distance, she finally asked, "So, where is this place we can hide out at?"

"Oh, it's just a house owned by some old friends of mine." He looked pleased with his cryptic clue and gave her a grin.

"Just tell me who it is" Mitzi said with a deadpan look, not in the mood.

Sighing, Edwin pointed at a two story house not far from the outskirts of town. It looked nice, two stories with a human waist-sized stone fence around the property. "There's the house. And since you apparently don't like surprises at all, this is where my parents live now."

Stopping in the middle of the path, Mitzi just stood there as Edwin halted and turned around to look curiously at her. "Your parents? I thought they lived in Westfall?"

"Yeah, of course they did. But when we got back from dealing with the Naga we had a lot of gold. Mostly from raiding some of their supply caches. So I put some of it in the bank and bought my parents a nice place near Stormwind. I figure that it's safer if something happens." Edwin smiled reassuringly at Mitzi as he took her hand and continued along the road. "I know they want to see you as well. Mom's gonna be so glad you're safe!"

Mitzi stayed quiet as she followed alongside Edwin. She wasn't so sure about that. Her mind began to wander again, to the last time she had seen Mary. It was the same day that she had been told Edwin was dead…

* * *

It was with some difficulty that Mitzi made her way through the crowded streets of Stormwind. She checked the note she had gotten one more time before making her way towards the newly constructed harbor, where even now there were people gathered everywhere as members of the army were unloading ships. Soldiers were seen left and right reuniting with their families, some reacting with tears or laughter or just with an embrace and a long silence. Mitzi looked at her note again and then made her way slowly down the row of piers, looking for where Edwin's group was supposed to arrive. According to the note she had received, the portal from Outland would open in less than half an hour and then Edwin would be back. With a feeling of apprehension, she found a group of people waiting for loved ones and sat herself nearby, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves.

"Mitzi?" came a familiar voice not far away. With a slight sense of dread she turned and saw Mary waving as she approached. William, Edwin's father, followed not far behind as he flashed her that toothy grin of his. "I thought that was you. I'm glad you came."

Mitzi couldn't help but go red with embarrassment as she avoided Mary's eye contact. "I-I just wanted to make sure Edwin is ok. Since I was passing through anyhow." She looked towards the ground and mumbled, "I won't stay long. I just wanted to say hello."

Mary also looked a bit flustered as she shook her head. "That isn't necessary. You can stay as long as you like. I'm sure Edwin would be quite happy to see you. I was planning on cooking dinner, we'll have plenty of food if you want to stay." The two stood there for a moment in silence until Mary smiled, though it seemed forced. "Excuse me. I'm going to ask them when Edwin's group will be arriving." Mary slipped away into the crowd, leaving Mitzi standing there with William.

The two looked at each other awkwardly as Mitzi searched for something to say. Nothing seemed appropriate, but thankfully before she had to think much harder William finally spoke. "She has a hard time expressing herself sometimes, my wife."

Snorting, Mitzi found that very hard to believe. "She seems like she does it well enough."

Letting out a laugh, William nodded. "Yes well some stuff she's very upfront about. Others, well it just takes her some time to get there." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Like you know she was looking forward to seeing you right?"

That seemed even harder to believe than the last fact. "I'm sorry, but are you sure? I just can't imagine her wanting to see me."

"Oh, I'm very sure." William motioned to the letter that Mitzi kept clutched in her right hand. "Who do you think sent the letter?"

Before Mitzi could respond, people all around them began talking excitedly as the entire crowd of fifty or so shifted in one direction. Mary came out of the crowd, looking excited as she glanced between the two. "The portal just opened. They're coming through in just a moment!"

All three moved together to find a better vantage point, finally finding one near the edge of the crowd. From here they could see a human mage spreading his arms wide, the gem at the end of his staff glowing bright as a large shimmering portal came into focus. Once it did, snapping into place like a telescope coming into focus, they could see what Mitzi recognized as Zangarmarsh. The giant mushrooms in the background were a very obvious giveaway. A number of troops started filing through, some human and some Draenei. Mitzi tried to scan for Edwin, but very quickly things got quite chaotic. A wagon full of supplies was going both in and out of the gate, and besides that various families were being reunited, adding to the noise and chaos.

"Why don't we take a seat" William suggested, pointing to a bench that was now vacant. "We're not going to get anywhere like this."

The three all sat down and watched mostly in silent anticipation as the people slowly began to trickle away. The portal finally closed after about ten minutes of being open, the mage's brow covered in sweat as he sat down on a barrell.

It was then that Mitzi felt like something was wrong. For one, this group was mostly Draenei and not many humans, and it seemed like most of the humans had found their families and left. She tried telling herself that he was probably in the caravan, helping to unload the gear when a bald man came striding up to them with a grim expression on his face. "Excuse me. Are you Edwin's parents? Mr. and Mrs. Ogden?" He was dressed in an officer's uniform, and now for Mitzi that sense of unease had turned into full dread.

Both of Edwin's parents exchanged a glance before looking back at the officer. "That's us. Can we help you?" William asked, his expression trying to look positive but unfortunately failing.

Glancing at Mitzi, the officer nodded apologetically. "Ma'am. This is a private matter. If you'll excuse us."

As Mitzi started getting up, Mary placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Please, she's a friend of the family. If it concerns my son then I don't mind if she hears as well."

"Very well." The man composed himself for a moment, standing up straight as he looked Mary straight in the eye. "I am Arthur Huwe, one of Edwin's… commanding officers. I'm afraid this is never easy. It is my greatest regret to inform you that Edwin was killed in action. His group met some unexpected Naga resistance, and unfortunately there were no survivors." The silence was complete as the officer reached into his pocket and removed both a letter and a medal. He passed them both to Mary, who took them with trembling hands. "I truly am sorry. He was a good and brave young man."

As Mitzi's mind seemed to freeze Mary moaned "No…" as she fell to her knees. She sat there for a minute, pressing her palms into her eyes before she burst into tears. "No! Not m-my baby!"

William knelt down and put his shaking arms around his wife. He looked up to Huwe, his face a mask of confusion. "But he just sent us a letter a month ago… he said he was coming home…" came William's faint voice. He looked dazed, like he had just been punched in the face. "I don't understand…"

Arthur lowered his head to the two of them. "I'm sorry, once again. Trust me, death is not fair or logical. Please, you have to know that we are doing our best to avenge him. Even now we're clearing out some of the last of the Naga in Outlands, we will make sure they pay for wha-"

"This is all some big lie, right?" Mitzi asked suddenly. Her brain seemed to have finally caught up, and given the choice of acceptance or denial it had gone with the latter. "Did Edwin put you up to this?"

Everyone was silent as Arthur just stared back before responding. "What? No, of course not. This is no joke I'm afraid. Edwin-"

"This is complete nonsense. He is NOT dead." Mitzi stood up, her hands balled into fists as her breathing for more labored by the minute. She was trying to stay calm, but that… liar was just telling lies about Edwin. "There's no way he's dead. How could he just die? Stop lying."

The expression on Arthur's face showed a twinge of annoyance now. "I am NOT lying. What would I have to gain from lying? I'm sorry but this is hard, but-"

"LIAR!" she screamed, her whole body shaking with rage as she advanced on him. The bald man actually retreated a bit from her, a look of confusion on his face. "Tell me the truth! Edwin can't be dead!" She reached out and shoved him in the gut as hard as she could. "Tell me the TRUTH!"

A pair of hands grabbed Mitzi's shoulders, and she looked up to see William kneeling down next to her. He reached out and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry my girl. I can't imagine how much pain you're in." He squeezed a bit tighter. "...I wish you could have met Edwin one more time. I think that just seeing you again would have made him very happy."

Those words seemed to hit home to Mitzi more than all the others. Edwin probably DID just want to see her again. But he had died thinking that she didn't really value their friendship. For some reason in over four years she had never once sent him a letter, or stopped to see him, or anything. And now he was gone. Forever beyond her reach. "Let go of me!" she yelled as she tried to hold in the tears, suddenly not wanting to be near William and Mary. Their kindness was horrible to sit through, it did nothing to dismiss this guilt. Before William could say anything Mitzi had got up and started running. Not running in any particular direction, just running. Someone called out her name as she rushed out of sight, but she just ignored it as she fled.

It was nearly ten minutes later when an exhausted Mitzi finally slowed down, vaguely aware that she was somewhere in Cathedral Square. She took a few deep breaths as she fell down to her knees, clutching the stitch in her side. As she sat there feeling the dull pain, it all seemed to hit her at once. Tears finally started falling from her eyes as she took out her hearthstone and activated it. Her room in Dalaran materialized all around her as Mitzi collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

* * *

Mitzi snapped back to reality as they approached the front door. She had the sudden urge to leave, to make up some excuse why she couldn't stay, but nothing in particular came to mind in time. Edwin let her hand go as he opened the door, striding inside and shouting "Mom! Dad! I'm home! And guess who I brought with me!"

Feeling more than a bit apprehensive, Mitzi stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She could smell a pleasant scent in the air, one that brought her all the way back to her childhood and made her mouth water. Mary's chicken pot pies. Edwin was bending down and removing the knots on his boots, and just as she was starting to bend down to do the same a familiar figure came around the corner.

"Hey, you're just in time. Figures you'd come just when…" William trailed off as he noticed Mitzi, and the book he had been carrying dropped to the floor with a thud. The man looked like he had gained a bit of weight since last Mitzi had seen him, maybe with a bit more grey hair, but otherwise he was almost entirely unchanged. He stared for a moment before rushing over and scooping her up in a fierce hug, laughing out loud. "Wha… I can't believe it! This is incredible! Mary! MARY!"

"What is it?" came an annoyed voice from the kitchen. "This had better be important!" Footsteps came quickly their way as Mary rounded the corner, and stopped fast when she saw Mitzi being put down gently by William. "Mitzi." As Mary just stared in shock, putting a hand to her mouth, Mitzi got the impression that William had just picked up the weight Mary lost. Mary was by no means sickly thin, but she did look as if she had been skipping meals. Mitzi was feeling a bit uncomfortable as Mary continued to gaze at her, and right when she was about to say something the older woman rushed over and fell to her knees, holding Mitzi tight. Mary burst into tears, kissing Mitzi's cheek multiple times and burying her face into the gnome's shoulder as she wept. "I c-can't believe you're alive. Thank the Light" she managed to choke out.

Mitzi had no clue what to think. She had been expecting Edwin's parents to be cordial, but certainly nothing like this. "Don't worry" she said, hugging Mary back. "I'm not going anywhere."

The words sounded stupid to her own ears, but Mary unexpectedly laughed and finally pulled away, smiling brightly through her tears. "I hope not."

"Uh…" Edwin finally spoke up, scratching the back of his head as he grinned apologetically. "I don't mean to spoil the mood, but something's burning."

"Shit!" Mary suddenly bolted upright, rushing from the room as a faint haze of smoke started to creep around the corner. "Make yourself at home!"

"I'm going to go help your mother" William said as Edwin laughed, smiling to Mitzi as he tousled her hair. Just like the smell of the pies, this gave her a sharp feeling of nostalgia as she looked up at his beard. William looked to Edwin and grinned, nudging him in the ribs as he passed. "You two relax, maybe share a bottle of wine while you wait for dinner."

Edwin looked a bit nervous now that the two of them were alone again. "Sorry if that was a bit much. I didn't think mom was gonna break down like that."

Shaking her head, Mitzi couldn't help but smile. "No, not at all. Actually, it made me incredibly happy. I didn't know that she cared that much."

"Of course! All of us do!" Edwin marched forward and grabbed her hand, not breaking eye contact. "You're incredibly special to us."

Feeling her face flush red, Mitzi averted her eyes. "Thank you" she said in a small voice, as she squeezed his hand back. As the moment continued just a bit too long, Mitzi unceremoniously dropped his hand and cleared her throat. "So, are you sure we're going to be ok? Won't those people from your group just come after you here now?"

"Nah, we're fine" Edwin said, looking almost completely unconcerned. It actually made her a little upset, she thought he would be taking this just a bit more serious. "We're fine, for tonight at least."

"How can you be so sure?" she demanded, feeling that annoyance grow. "They don't exactly seem like the forgiving type of people."

"Well, for starters, I've got these." Edwin reached down to his belt, and pulled two daggers from their sheaths. They were nothing like the ones he has used to threaten Grosh earlier, these were black and hooked at the end, with a serrated edge near the hilt of the blades. A strange red glow emanated from the blade, giving the things a sinister aura. "The Blades of Sorrow. A pair of daggers crafted by Gul'dan himself for his personal assassin. We retrieved them to help in the fight."

Mitzi was completely stunned as she suddenly grasped the enormity of this. "You… hold one of the artifact weapons? One of the tools to battle the Legion?" Mitzi knew about them of course, three fellow mages from the Tirisgarde had found three items of power as well, but she had never seen any up close. It was a bit strange, viewing these legendary blades while standing there with no shoes.

Replacing the daggers with a smirk, Edwin nodded. "Look, at the very worst one of my friends will come by to tell me I went too far. But I doubt that, not like those guys were exactly in the right. Don't worry about it. Anyhow, why don't we get washed up for dinner? Mom will freak out if we're dirty." He opened a coat closet near the door and took a towel from a neat stack, throwing it over his shoulder as he opened the front door and slipped on some sandals.

"Alright then" Mitzi said, putting on some sandals far too big for her and following along behind as they went outside. She had to smile as they both went to the pump, Edwin filling up a bucket and splashing his face like they were still ten years old. She knelt down and began to wash her hands and face as well, enjoying the cool water on her skin.

As they finished, Edwin passed her the towel after using it himself, and the two just stood there for a moment as a breeze rustled the nearby trees. "Hey, Mitzi?" Edwin asked, staring off into the distance. "I've been thinking… if I don't go back to my friends, could I just stay with you?"

Mitzi could only look at Edwin in shock. "But… your organization needs you right?"

"I would still be killing demons if I was with you right? And then I could make sure that both of us get out of this alive." He grinned again as he looked at her, his eyes sparkling. "You could just think of me as a bodyguard! I wouldn't even charge you one copper!"

Some words that Jenus had spoken earlier seemed to come bubbling up in her thoughts. 'You shouldn't be here, confusing his mind.' She couldn't stop thinking about them no matter how hard she tried in fact. There was a part of her that wanted to say yes to Edwin's offer. Even though it was battling demons, as long as she was next to him she had the feeling it would probably turn out ok. However, she couldn't help but wonder if that was really best. She wasn't even someone very important in the Tirisgarde. How much more good could Edwin do with his team of assassins compared to just watching over her?

Once again there was that feeling of nostalgia, but this one made her twist uncomfortably. She was about to hurt Edwin's feelings again. "I don't think that's such a good idea, Edwin. I'm going to have to return to my superiors tomorrow, and I'm sure if you just explain the situation your friends will be quite understanding. It would be a very bad idea to just leave them like that."

The expression on Edwin's face reminded her of a puppet whose strings were cut. His face went from almost overly cheerful to blank. He opened his mouth and closed it. Then right when Mitzi was sure he was going to get emotional in some way, he grinned that same grin of his. "Yeah that makes the most sense. Sorry. I just get paranoid about things." Walking off towards the house, he looked back and smiled. "Let me show you the guest bedroom!"

Mitzi felt torn. Part of her was, of course, quite happy that Edwin hadn't cried or made a fuss. However that was also the problem. Edwin brushed it off so easily it seemed like he didn't even care if he was her bodyguard or not. Fuming silently she followed after him, lips pursed.

* * *

It was shortly after dinner as Mitzi sat outside with Edwin, the two enjoying the night air as their rocking chairs creaked. Edwin had his eyes closed, a faint smile on his face as Mitzi flipped through a book she had picked up up in the living room. It was a rather trashy, steamy romance novel, but it was at least good to skim through.

A sudden sound of a snore hit her ear, and Mitzi put down the book as she looked over to Edwin, who had clearly fallen asleep. He began to drool onto his own shoulder as she watched, head slumping to the side. With a sigh, Mitzi reached out and poked Edwin a few times. It took a minute, Edwin was not one to easily be awaken from a nap. However he eventually opened his eyes and glared at her. "What?" he asked, looking very unhappy.

"If you're going to fall asleep do it upstairs. If you sleep out here too long nobody will be able to wake you." Mitzi shooed Edwin towards the house as he slowly stood up, cracking his back with a goran.

"Fine, fine… goodnight then. I'll see you in the morning." With a yawn Edwin got up and wobbled unsteadily inside, heading towards the stairs without a look back. Mitzi felt bad, he was probably exhausted after running around so much for her today. Deciding to go in after she finished reading her current chapter, Mitzi flipped open the book again and returned to her subpar love story eagerly.

The door opened, and Mitzi looked up to see Mary stepping outside and shutting it behind her. "Sorry, but do mind if I smoke?" she asked, holding up a pipe and smiling faintly.

"No, that's fine" Mitzi replied as Mary sat down, sighing as she began rocking back and forth. "Thank you for dinner tonight. Your pies are delicious as always."

As she filled the pipe with tobacco from a small pouch, Mary scoffed. "It was really just leftovers. If I would have known you were coming I would have made something a little fancier. Of course that boy doesn't tell me anything until you're right on the doorstep."

"Don't be angry with him, we just met up last minute. I also wanted to apologize to you, I really didn't know that you thought I was dead. I should have kept in contact with you after…" Mitzi paused, not knowing exactly what to say, "...after everything that happened. But it was just sort of difficult to come back."

Mary was silent as she lit a match and puffed on her pipe gently. After a minute Mitzi was starting to think she had just been ignored until the older woman spoke. "Mitzi. You have absolutely no need to apologize to me. I'm not surprised you didn't come back. It's not like I gave you any reason to." Mary closed her eyes tightly. "I'm surprised that you don't hate me, to be honest. I really wouldn't blame you if you did."

"Mary" Mitzi said, reaching out and touching her arm. It was probably true that some small part of her did hate Mary, or at least resented her for what had happened with Edwin. However Mitzi had never been a very vengeful soul, and even back then she hadn't been able to harbor much hate for this woman. Seeing her sitting like this, clearly trying to hold back tears only confirmed that she had no real bitter feelings for this woman in her heart. "Of course I don't hate you. I never did."

"You should." The reply was flat and blunt, and Mary did not open her eyes as she sat there in silence. "I have a favor to ask of you. I know I don't have any right to do this, but I want you to listen to my story. You might want to interrupt me at some point. But please, I think you need to hear the whole thing. Even if you don't want to." Finally, she opened her eyes and met Mitzi's gaze. "Will you accept those terms?"

Mitzi nodded uncertainly. She settled more comfortably into her chair, watching Mary apprehensively.

"I suppose I should really start as early as possible. Did Edwin ever tell you much about his childhood? From before you came to the farm?" Mitzi shook her head, now that she thought about it that was something he really never discussed much at all. "I'm not surprised. You see, when he was young Edwin never really got along with the other children. I don't know why, maybe he's just too energetic, or maybe he just didn't exactly fit with those kids, but in the end he never played with any of the others for more than a day or two. Mostly he would just go off into the woods or he would play in the barn. It would make me sad at times, but I did my best to make his life better. I was usually the one to join in on his games, when he was young I would play the dragon so he could defeat me. Then I would also play the princess so he could rescue me. Of course by the time he was eight or so he was too old for that sort of thing anymore." She smiled wistfully as she looked up at the two moons in the sky, before she sighed and her face fell into a more serious expression.

"But that all changed one day. The day you showed up. You were such an unexpected element in my life. And suddenly, you were the most important thing in the world to him. It was like he changed completely. He used to hate reading, and as soon as we threatened to throw you out he learned to read everything in sight. Wherever he went he was with you. Every time he did odd jobs for money it was to buy something for you. At first I was happy. Edwin had a friend, and not just a friend but someone that made him happier than I'd ever seen him before. I was happy, but then as time went on... I started to become jealous of you." The look on Mary's face tightened as she talked. It wasn't a very pleasant thing to see. "I just didn't understand why he cared for you so much. I didn't think you were anything special enough for him to get so worked up over. But I had no reason to object to your presence in the house. You were always so helpful and punctual that I bit my tongue and just watched."

Mary looked at Mitzi, brushing a strand of blonde hair out of her face. "That was, until the day I saw you two kissing. I was cleaning up in the kitchen and I happened to look out back right as it was happening. I was stunned, but I figured that you were both around that age and it was only natural that sort of thing was going to happen." She paused, breaking eye contact again as she looked back to the moons. "The truth is I was going to ignore it at first. It didn't seem like anything more than a little experimentation, and that sort of thing happens to all teenagers. Then I happened to run into Grace, Abigail's mother, on the way home from the market the next day. She was livid, telling me that my son was always going to be a loner if he kept rejecting perfectly nice girls like Abigail. After hearing her rant, I decided that she was right and I would do something about it. But I knew Edwin would never leave you no matter what I told him. So I decided to go after you instead."

The urge to say something rose up in Mitzi. It must have shown on her face, because Mary stopped and looked at her curiously. "What is it?"

Though she still very much wanted to speak, Mitzi remembered what she had said before Mary started talking. Part of her wanted to just get up and walk away, or possibly tell her off, but after thinking for a moment she shook her head. "Nothing. Please go on."

"Thank you. I know this is hard to hear." Mary collected her thoughts and continued. "I didn't actually think you would leave the way you did. I thought I would just make you reconsider your future, not cut Edwin off completely. My plan had worked even more perfectly than I imagined. The problem is that I had forgotten something. Before you showed up Edwin was certainly not a sad child, but he didn't smile much and it was rare to hear him laugh. But when you were around he laughed practically every day. I remembered that again after you left because that was the last time I heard him laugh. He joined the army, and even though he ended up doing well he never seemed happy. Then I heard he was coming back, so I ended up sending you a letter hoping that you would cheer him up. I knew you were the person he really wanted to see when he came home, but… well, you know how that all turned out."

Reaching down, Mary knocked out her pipe onto the ground with a quick smack and slowly began refilling it. "When Edwin finally did come back, I was overjoyed. I was actually going to send you a letter saying that he was alive but he insisted on going to visit you himself." Mary began breathing heavier, and for a moment Mitzi was scared something was horribly wrong. Then she realized that Mary was trying her best not to cry. "Then I heard you had died. And Edwin never even got to see you again. I… hated myself." She wiped her tears away and continued, staring at her lap. "I had destroyed my son's happiness, and all because I was afraid what the neighbors would say about him. Isn't that stupid? He never cared about that before, why would he later? But I forced you out. You were the closest thing I had to a daughter and I just..." Mary couldn't stop the tears this time as she put her face into her palms, her body shaking. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

As Mitzi watched Mary cry, she stood up and walked up to her. Mitzi leaned in and hugged Mary, pressing her face into the crying woman's chest. "It's ok. That's all in the past now." Mitzi smiled as she felt tears in her eyes too. "I'm just glad to see you again."

It took a few minutes for Mary to calm down again. Then, as she took out a handkerchief and wiped her eyes, she finally seemed to be calm enough to talk again. "Thank you. You've always been so kind, even if I don't deserve it." Mary smiled, her eyes still red as she met Mitzi's gaze. "That's why I want you to do me a small favor. Do you remember that day, when I told you that you were just a burden to Edwin? I just want you to forget about everything I said that day. Every bit of it. I don't know how you feel about him. Maybe you're simply best friends, maybe you love him. Maybe you feel nothing for him anymore. But please, if those words I said to you long ago are still in your mind then just ignore them. Don't push him out of your life." Mary looked away again, her face red. "I know I have no right to ask you this. But I know that it'll make him happy beyond words even if you're just his friend again."

Mitzi didn't know what to say to that. She opened her mouth, but couldn't think of exactly what to say so she just said "ok, I promise".

Standing up, Mary took a deep breath as she knocked out her pipe one last time. "Well, I think I've done enough crying for today. Good night, Mitzi. I'll see you in the morning. I'm so glad that you're back." She waved as she started towards the house.

Waving back, Mitzi watched her go before looking up at the sky to watch the moon. Now that she was all alone, a single question seemed to float through her mind. 'What DO I think about Edwin'?

* * *

Staring at the ceiling, Mitzi did not feel tired at all as she lay in bed. Ten minutes passed, then twenty, then an hour and still no matter how much she tried sleep didn't seem to be any closer. Finally she tore the blanket off in frustration and got up, slipping on her robe so she wasn't running around in her underwear. After using the restroom and cleaning up, Mitzi summoned a glass of water for herself and sipped it as she made her way back to her room. However as she reached the door, she hesitated. Glancing down the hall at Edwin's room, Mitzi slowly began to walk towards his door.

"I'll just check if he's awake" she muttered to herself, lifting her knuckles up. "If he's asleep I'll go back to my room." She knocked gently on the door, then waited with baited breath.

Nearly a minute passed, and not even a sound came from the room. Frowning, Mitzi knocked a little harder this time. After thirty seconds with no sounds coming from within, Mitzi took a deep breath before reaching out and opening the door.

'What am I doing?' Mitzi thought frantically as she entered the dark room and closed the door softly behind her. The only light came from the window, the soft glow from the moon barely illuminating everything. She could clearly see the figure of Edwin laying in his bed, a gentle snore filling the air. Mitzi slowly crept up and looked at Edwin's sleeping face. It wasn't particularly handsome, his hair was tousled and he was drooling onto the pillow. However even this unkempt look made Mitzi smile and for a moment she just watched him sleep.

Deciding that she shouldn't just be watching him sleep all night, Mitzi reluctantly reached out and poked him in the cheek. "Hey. Edwin. Wake up."

Edwin grunted and rolled away from her, ending up on his stomach as he buried his face into a pillow. After a moment the snoring continued.

Feeling a little irritated now, Mitzi climbed up on the bed and started poking Edwin in the back harder and harder. "Wake up!" she said, a little louder now. Edwin still didn't move, his face pressed into the pillow. Finally deciding she had enough of this, Mitzi held out her hands and began chanting a spell. It was a minor spell, one that just summoned a small chunk of ice, but that was all she needed. Reaching down she opened the back of Edwin's shirt and dropped the ice chunk inside.

The effect was immediate. Edwin suddenly sat bolt upright, yelping as he scrambled to find the piece of ice. As he found it and threw it onto the ground with a furious look on his face, Mitzi couldn't help but laugh. Edwin turned to her with that same livid expression, his eyes narrowing. "Mitzi. What the hell is going on?"

Feeling a bit anxious now, Mitzi avoided his glare. "I'm sorry, Edwin. I just… really wanted to talk to you." She got down off the bed, feeling a bit foolish. "I don't know what I was thinking. I'll just talk to you in the morning."

Before she could take another step, Edwin's hand fell on her shoulder and spun her around. "Wait a second. Now I'm wide awake, so you're going to tell me what's going on." He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the space next to him. "Come on. Sit down."

Hesitating for a moment, Mitzi took a seat next to Edwin as she took a deep breath. For some reason her heart was beating incredibly fast. It was only now that she sat there next to him that Mitzi realized there she didn't actually know what she wanted to tell him. She had just come in and woken him up, but now that he was staring at her she didn't know why she had done so.

"Are you sure everything's alright? Did you see something?" Edwin started looking worried as Mitzi continued to sit there in silence. "Mitzi, you can tell me anything. Please, let me help you."

"It's just that…" Mitzi paused again. There was something at the tip of her tongue. Something she wanted to ask him now, but it felt embarrassing to her. If she asked him about that then he would probably just laugh, or worse just roll his eyes and tell her to go back to sleep. After a brief struggle however, the request spilled out of her mouth. "It's just that I think we should kiss again!"

Mitzi felt the blush on her face rising as Edwin's expression turned into one of confusion. "Uh, huh?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"I was just thinking, do you remember that time we kissed back when we were teenagers?"

"Well, yeah. I do." Edwin's face was unreadable as he watched her.

"The truth is, I was lying back then. I said it was like kissing my brother, but it really wasn't. I actually enjoyed it." Mitzi still felt that blush in her face but she looked Edwin in the eye, unblinking.

Edwin's face was still blank, Mitzi couldn't seem to tell what he was thinking at all. "And why do you want to kiss again now?"

"I'm not… exactly sure how I feel about you now." Mitzi frowned. It was true, she very much wasn't sure how to think about Edwin sometimes. He was clearly her friend, but also so much more than that to her. "Biyu told me once that you can find out if you like a guy by imagining yourself kissing him. But I just thought the real thing would be more effective."

There was a pause as Edwin seemed to think this over. For a moment Mitzi thought he was going to turn to her and say no, and she braced herself for that response. Thus she was rather surprised when Edwin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her near. His face was suddenly very close to hers.

"Alright. Fine. Are you ready then?" he asked as he looked her in the eye.

Mitzi's blush was now at critical levels, she could feel it. She tried to control her breathing. "Yes" she said simply.

Just like last time Edwin leaned in without any further preamble. Their lips met and Mitzi closed her eyes, savoring the moment. That warm feeling, the faint taste of salt on his lips, she didn't want it to end. It did end however, with Edwin pulling back and looking at her with that same unreadable expression. The two were silent as Mitzi just watched Edwin, hoping for some kind of response. After a minute of complete silence Mitzi couldn't take it anymore, she looked away and felt that same blush intensifying. "Well? How was it?"

Edwin didn't respond with words, instead Mitzi felt his hand gently touch her chin and raise her face to meet his. Leaning in once more Edwin kissed her again, this time his arms drawing her even closer to him. Mitzi felt her chest pressing against Edwin's as his tongue slowly worked its' way into her mouth, much to her surprise. As their kiss became more passionate, Mitzi reached up and wrapped her arms around Edwin's neck, pulling him closer to her as her hands began to feel his broad back.

Finally the kiss was broken, and Edwin pulled back as he caught his breath. Mitzi saw a line of spit briefly connect their mouths before snapping. "I'm sorry about that. You looked so damn cute I couldn't help myself." Edwin smiled as he ran a hand through her hair. "As for how it was… that was the most exciting kiss of my life. I've been wanting to do that for years. The truth is, I lied to you back then as well. I wanted to tell you so bad that I was in love with you that day. But I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship. How… did you feel about it?" He looked a bit nervous now, his mouth set in a tight straight line.

A small laugh escaped from Mitzi and she leaned to give Edwin a soft kiss. "I feel the same way. By the way… did you just say you were in love with me?"

"Well, of course I am. I've been in love with you for a long time." Edwin's face was flushed almost completely red, and Mitzi had to stop herself from kissing him again. He looked so cute. "The biggest regret in my life was not telling you that day I kissed you. I was really going to do it, but I lost my nerve. I really wish I could go back and kick myself. I keep thinking that you might not have left."

Reaching up and grasping Edwin's face gently with both her hands, Mitzi smiled at him. "I might not have left. I don't know. But we can't think like that. We're both here now, and I love you too. That's what matters."

Slowly, Edwin reached out and hugged her again. His hands, which felt so big to her, rubbed her back as he took a deep and satisfied breath. "You're right." As Mitzi held him back, she thought that she could feel the tension draining from his body, like a weight had left his shoulders. "Mitzi. Can I kiss you again?" he asked, not moving from their embrace.

Feeling embarrassed once again, Mitzi let out a sigh. "You're not supposed to ask. You're just supposed to do it."

"Yeah, sorry about that" Edwin said, that same goofy grin on his face as he pulled away from their hug. His eyes closed as his lips met Mitzi's, and as their tongues met the two began kissing with more intensity than before. Edwin broke the kiss off momentarily, only to pick Mitzi up bodily and lay her gently down on the bed. He positioned himself above her and leaned down, nibbling her earlobe a bit before kissing her neck.

Mitzi felt his tongue on her neck, she shuddered with pleasure. Her mind felt like it was getting sluggish, she couldn't even think rationally right now. As Edwin kissed her again, their tongues coiling against each other, she felt his hand move up her robe. Then, to her shock, it slipped inside and cupped her left breast through her bra. That made her yelp, her arms crossing over her chest as her eyes flew open.

The effect on Edwin was immediate, he sat back with a look of concern on his face. "I-I'm sorry! I got a little carried away there!" he said, face redder than Mitzi had ever seen. "I won't go that far again."

"It's not that." Sitting up in the bed, Mitzi looked down at herself. "I just… wasn't expecting that." After a moment of hesitation she stood up, then reached down and tugged her robe free. Feeling rather embarrassed she let it fall to the floor. She was pleased to see that she had Edwin's complete attention now. In face he couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. There was another brief pause before Mitzi reached behind her back and with a snap, unhooked her bra and let it fall to the ground as well. Finally she reached down, gripped her panties and slid them down her legs, stepping delicately out of them as she tossed them on top of her bra.

Edwin still hadn't moved or said a thing as Mitzi got back onto the bed and crawled towards him. She stopped just inches away and sat on her knees, feeling a bit nervous now. "W-well?" she asked as he continued to remain silent. "Aren't you gonna say something?"

As he leaned forward and kissed her, Mitzi could see the lust in his eyes. "You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen" he whispered in her ear as he lowered her once again to the bed. He kissed her again on the corner of her mouth, and then started slowly making his way down to her breasts, kissing and licking the flesh along the way.

As Mitzi moaned in pleasure, she felt suddenly self-conscious as Edwin neared her breasts. "I-I'm glad you feel that way, b-but I know I'm not that pretty."

She was dismayed when Edwin halted, only inches from her nipples. He sat up and looked Mitzi in the eye with a frown. "Excuse me? Why do you say that?"

A little taken aback that he stopped so suddenly, Mitzi felt her cheeks grow red as she regretted saying anything. "It's just… I know that I'm not very pretty. I don't have a very good figure and I don't have nice breasts or anything… also you'd probably like it better if I were a little taller, right?"

"Who told you that you didn't have a nice figure?" Edwin was scowling now, a dangerous look in his eye.

"Just some of the other mages… so I know I'm not the greatest, but I'm glad that-" Mitzi stopped suddenly and gasped as Edwin reached up to her chest with both hands, feeling her breasts and gently pinching both of her nipples.

"Mitzi. I don't care what other guys say about you. In fact, to be honest they can say whatever they want. I'm not going to stop them." Edwin's words hurt, and Mitzi was about to protest. Before she could however he leaned down and kissed her again. "You know why? Because those guys are fucking idiots. I don't waste time with idiots." Edwin leaned down and licked her right nipple before putting it into his mouth. The tip of his tongue swirled around, sending Mitzi's mind wild as his other hand played with her free nipple. He stopped, and spoke before switching nipples. "I'll tell you that you're beautiful. Every day of your life. You are my world. You don't have to listen to that bullcrap anymore." After a moment Edwin's hand stopped teasing her breast, and with a wave of goosebumps she felt the hand move slowly down her belly and towards her vagina.

"Wait!" Mitzi cried, grabbing his hand. Once again Edwin had a look like he had gone too far, but Mitzi quickly clarified, not quite meeting his eyes. "I-I just don't want to be the only one naked."

Looking surprised for a moment, Edwin finally chuckled and got up off the bed. "Well, that's fair." As he reached down and pulled off his shirt, exposing his bare chest, Mitzi found it difficult to look away. She watched as he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his boxers, and pulled them off leaving him completely naked. Mitzi stared in wonder at his penis, which was already fully erect. It looked huge to her, and she guessed it was probably over six inches long.

Her attention snapped back to Edwin's face as he got back on the bed, shifting his body so he was back on top of her, his arms on either side of her head holding his body up. As he brought his body down and their bare skin touched for the first time, the two of them kissed once more with their longest embrace yet. Mitzi hungrily explored Edwin's mouth with her tongue, wanting more with each passing moment.

Breaking the kiss, Edwin sat still and panted for a moment like a dog in heat. "I'm sorry. I can't wait any more" he said, before moving down Mitzi's body. Before she could react he grabbed her thighs and gently moved them apart, revealing her pussy. Mitzi almost closed her legs again in embarrassment, but before she could think any further Edwin leaned in close and kissed the back of her knee, then, with his tongue, he began to make her way towards her vagina along the inner thigh. His fingers gently caressed the other thigh, the fingertips barely touching skin as he ran his hand down her leg. Just when she thought she had gotten used to this, her body finally calming down and the goosebumps going away, Edwin looked up and into her eyes. He grinned at her mischievously and then plunged his face right into her pussy, tongue licking her vulva gently as he pulled her closer.

It was all Mitzi could do to keep from screaming out loud. As Edwin slowly began to lick her vagina harder and harder, Mitzi reached out desperately and grabbed a pillow from the bed. Putting it over her face, she moaned as loud as she could, grateful that it was masking the noises a bit. Then, as she once again thought she was getting used to this, Edwin changed it up. He moved suddenly to her clitoris, licking it tenderly as his hand moved to her pussy. He calmly took two fingers and slipped them inside, moving them slowly out and in again as his tongue played with the small nub of her clitoris. Mitzi was quite glad she already had something to dull the sound, because after a few minutes of this she couldn't take it anymore. She screamed into the pillow as the orgasm hit her, making her whole body shudder as she went limp.

As Mitzi lay there panting, moving the pillow off her face, she watched as Edwin got up on his knees. His dick swayed gently as he moved closer, once again grabbing her legs and pulling her body to meet his. She watched in fascination as he positioned the head of his penis and touched it against the folds of her vagina. She bit her finger and moaned as he pushed just a bit, so the tip just began poking into her body. "Are you sure about this? I don't want to hurt you." Edwin looked a bit unsure, but she could see from his eyes and his deep breaths that he wanted this just as much as she did.

Leaning up, she kissed him gently on the lips. "If it's you I'll be fine." Mitzi took a deep breath, both hands grabbing the sheets in anticipation.

With a single nod, Edwin pushed slowly into her. Mitzi gasped, gripping the sheets tighter as his penis seemed to fill her completely. She felt it hit a bit of resistance, and Edwin looked her in the eye with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, this is probably going to hurt a little" and with that, he pulled back a bit and thrust into her, driving most of the length of his dick into her all at once. Mitzi yelped in pain as she felt her hymen break, and looking down she could see a trickle of blood staining the sheets. "I'm sorry! Are you ok?" Edwin asked, looking concerned.

"I'm… I'm fine" Mitzi said, as the pain slowly went away. She looked up to Edwin with a pleading look in her eyes. "Please, don't stop."

Edwin's cock seemed to jump inside her, and he suddenly leaned down to kiss her fiercely. "I can't stand it when you act like that. You're so cute I don't know if I can stop myself." With that, he grabbed her by the hips and pulled out once more, then thrust in again. He started slowly building speed, lifting her left leg and turning her slightly onto her side so he had a better angle to fuck her at. "You are so fucking tight. I could get addicted to this" he said through heavy, lustful breaths. "Mitzi. I want to be with you forever! I love you!"

"I-I want that too!" Mitzi just held onto the blanket and closed her eyes, moaning louder as Edwin thrust into her over and over, and didn't even see it coming when Edwin licked his fingers and reached down with his free hand to gently brush her clitoris. Those damp fingers flicking at her sensitive spot was enough to send her over the edge once again and she cried out, back arching as her brain seemed to go white. "I love you Edwin!"

As Mitzi lay there trying to catch her breath and wiping sweat from her brow, Edwin flopped onto the bed next to her and sighed happily. "Wow. That was amazing." He reached out and took her hand, grinning at her labored breathing. "I take it you liked it?"

Nodding enthusiastically, Mitzi rolled over and snuggled closer to Edwin. "You were wonderful. Thank you." As she got more comfortable, she suddenly nudged Edwin's erection with her leg. With a frown, Mitzi looked from his hardon to his face. "Wait, you didn't orgasm, did you?"

"No, you looked pretty exhausted so I was going to wait before trying sex again" Edwin smiled at her reassuringly. "Don't worry, everything's ok."

Frowning back at him, Mitzi stood up on the bed. "No, it's not. Now, lie flat."

She thought Edwin would object or at least ask a question, but Edwin obediently lay down on the bed, legs slightly ajar. His penis stood straight up in the air, and Mitzi took a few steps so she was standing right over it. Taking a deep breath she lowered herself gently towards his waiting dick. Edwin's hands came up and grabbed her ass, squeezing it as he helped Mitzi find her mark and thrusting up inside of her.

Mitzi tried to keep it together as she bounced up and down on Edwin's cock. She bit her finger again as a moan escaped her mouth, resting her other hand on Edwin's stomach to give herself better leverage. Edwin's hands suddenly released her butt and grabbed both of her tits, rolling the nipples in his fingers as he picked up the pace of his fucking. Mitzi felt her back arching again as she moaned louder and louder, shutting her eyes as the pleasure once again started building to critical levels. "E-Edwin I'm about to come!"

Letting go of her breasts, Edwin grabbed Mitzi's hips and started thrusting as hard as he could, face set in a determined expression. "Me too, Mitzi. Let's come together. Are you ready?"

"Y-yes!" she screamed, barely able to keep it together anymore. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Edwin's neck and squeezing. "Yes!"

With a grunt of acknowledgement, Edwin thrust one final time and Mitzi could feel a rush of warm fluid fill her. She came as well, squeezing Edwin even tighter as her whole body seized up. The two stayed like that for a minute, Edwin hugging her tight to his chest as Mitzi's arms reached up and around his neck. Then Mitzi reluctantly rolled off him, feeling exhausted now as she waited for her breathing to return to normal.

After both of their breathing patterns slowed down to normal, Edwin reached down and took Mitzi's hand. He smiled at her and the two cuddled closer, Mitzi grateful for the body heat.

"I meant what I said" Edwin eventually stated, not looking directly at Mitzi. "I want to be with you. Forever."

She hugged him tighter, not quite looking him in the eye either. "Are you sure you're ok with me? Really?"

"Of course. What kind of question is that? Remember, you're the most beautiful woman in the world. How would I not be ok with you?" Edwin grinned at her and kissed her, light and brief.

Smiling back, Mitzi laid her head against his chest. "I love you" she said as she closed her eyes.

"I love you too" Edwin whispered back. Mitzi could feel him shifting to a more comfortable position, and before long the two had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

It was the crack of dawn as two figures left Stormwind and started down the path towards Goldshire. Once they were out of sight the shorter one pulled back her hood gratefully, revealing pointy green ears. Reni sighed with relief. "Good thing that went smoothly."

"Even if they had caught you it probably would have been fine. You were with me after all." Jenus also removed his hood as they strolled down the path, letting the breeze blow through his hair.

"Oh right, I should have banked on 'probably'." Reni looked agitated as she picked up her pace. "Come on, we should hurry."

Sighing as he picked up his pace slightly to match, Jenus followed along. "Why the rush? I doubt he's gone from the place. Calm down a bit."

"Oh, I'm not worried about Edwin leaving you asshole! Now shut up or I'll leave you behind! His place isn't far from here." Reni didn't even glance behind her to see if Jenus was following as she practically sprinted to her destination. Being as far behind her as he was, Jenus didn't even see the angry tears that were running down Reni's face.


	2. Reni

Early the next morning Mitzi finally woke up, blinking blearily as sunlight lit the entire room. It was only when she moved that she realized she was laying naked on top of Edwin, who was still snoring gently. She sat up quickly, the previous night's activities coming to mind and making her blush. She looked over at Edwin's sleeping face and smiled, feeling almost giddy as she brushed the hair from his forehead. Edwin had said he loved her last night. Multiple times. It was like a dream come true.

It was the sounds of people bustling about down on the first floor that snapped Mitzi to her senses. She was sitting here, completely naked in Edwin's bed. This would be awkward if someone were to come in. It was just when Mitzi was about to jump off the bed and get her clothes that the door banged open. "Edwin! Wake up! Your father-" Mary started yelling, stopping short in the doorway as Mitzi stared back at her. After a moment, Mitzi covered her breasts with one arm and her vulva with the other, blushing furiously as Edwin sat up next to her.

"Hey mom." Edwin yawned loudly as he rubbed his eyes. "Are you gonna make some breakfast?"

"Oh. Uh." Mary looked completely flustered. "Yes. I'm going to make some bacon and eggs. And pancakes. I know Mitzi likes pancakes."

Edwin smiled widely. "That sounds amazing! Thanks! We'll be downstairs in a little while."

Nodding, Mary stepped backwards and shut the door with a snap. Mitzi put her face in her hands, wanting to die of embarrassment. "We couldn't even keep it secret for one hour…" she muttered.

"It's not like we were going to hide it, right?" Edwin asked, suddenly scooping Mitzi up and tossing her down onto the bed. "Anyhow, I was thinking that since we have a few minutes, we should have a quick session." His grin was absolutely wolfish as he pounced on her, kissing the nape of her neck as his right hand started moving up and down her leg.

"What? But we just woke up! And your parents will hear us!" Mitzi thought about slapping the hand away from her leg, but as he slipped a couple of fingers up inside of her she gasped and shuddered.

"I told you last night, I'm pretty addicted to your body" Edwin said nonchalantly as he began licking her breasts. "If you think about it, this is sort of your fault. Just try not to make too much noise, that's all."

As Mitzi tried her best not to be too loud, she found herself desperately grabbing at the pillow, shoving it over her face and moaning into it as Edwin went to work.

* * *

As she reached the front door of the house, Reni looked behind her in irritation at Jenus, who was still at the end of the path and walking at a much more casual pace. "Come on! Why won't you just hurry up already?!"

"We're already here. Stop getting so upset. Just knock on the door" Jenus said lazily, looking around at the trees on the property.

Scowling, Reni turned away and knocked on the door. As she waited she looked down at herself, smoothing out her armor in places to make herself look a bit more presentable. The door opened after a moment and William stood there, looking down at the goblin in surprise.

"Well if it isn't Reni! Good morning!" William looked over her head at Jenus, who was just now making it to the door. "And um… James right?"

"Jenus." The elf did not look very happy that his name was the one forgotten.

"Right, yeah! Sorry about that. Come on in you two, the wife's just making breakfast. I'll see if she can whip up a little more." William put an arm around Jenus and started leading him inside, motioning to his feet as they entered the house. "Shoes off by the way."

"Well, I don't know if we can stay, we-" Jenus began as he started pulling off his boots.

"Of course we'll stay for breakfast! Mary's cooking is the best. Thank you! Hurry up, James!" Reni quickly kicked off her boots and walked happily into the house as Jenus scowled and struggled with his laces.

Entering the kitchen Reni saw William talking to Mary, both in a whispered conversation. Mary looked a bit concerned, but as soon as she saw Reni she smiled brightly. "Hello Reni. How are you? I'm making plenty of food this morning, feel free to take a seat. I think Edwin should be downstairs soon."

Reni moved to the table and took a seat, smiling gratefully at both of Edwin's parents. "Thanks. I'm really sorry we showed up unexpected like this."

"It's fine! You know you're welcome here any time." Mary smiled back at her and turned to continue frying bacon.

Jenus entered the room and greeted Mary, who thankfully knew who he was, and it wasn't long after he sat down across from Reni at the table that they all heard footsteps coming down from the second floor. Edwin came around the corner into view, wearing a loose-fitting white shirt and black pants and humming to himself. He stopped when he saw the two sitting at the table, narrowing his eyes. "Good morning you two. I expected to see you two a little earlier."

"We decided it would be best if everyone had some time to cool their heads" Jenus said with a smile. "And if you're worried about the incident, don't be. It's decided that we'll just call it all even"

"That's it?" Edwin asked, his face darkening as he looked back at the elf. "You threaten my friend and that's it? We just call it bygones?"

"What's going on?" Mary asked, looking back and forth between Jenus and Edwin.

"Look, Edwin, we have to focus here. I know you're angry but she didn't get hurt. We need you to combat the Legion. I know that you've lost some respect for us, but-"

"Yeah, you sure DID lose some respect from me!" Edwin yelled back, slamming his fist on the table. "I can't believe you'd do that. Then you made Reni and the others go along with your stupid plan, and-"

"It wasn't his plan. It was mine" Reni's breathing was a bit labored from nerves as Edwin turned to her, stunned. "I'm sorry. It was my idea. I thought it was possible that you were being used. I only did it to try protecting you-"

"That's bullshit, Reni!" Edwin yelled, baring his teeth as he slammed his fist on the table. "If you were so worried you should have at least TRIED talking to me first!" Reni flinched, her head drooping as Edwin took a step closer. "I expected this kind of stuff from the rest of the guys, but not from you. I just…" He shook with anger as he glared right at her. "Get out. I don't want to see you right now."

"Edwin" Reni said, her eyes filling with tears as she trembled. "Please, I'm sorry. I never meant-"

"I don't want to hear it! Get out of here! If you don't-ack!" Edwin's response was cut short by Mary smacking him in the head with a ladle hard enough to fill the room with a sharp crack. Even Reni winced in sympathy through her tears.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mary demanded as Edwin clutched his head with both hands, groaning in pain. "How dare you stand here in my kitchen and make a girl cry!"

"Make a girl…" Edwin stood up and glared at Mary, eyes blazing. "Mom, you don't even have any idea what's going on! Just stay the hell out of-ACK" he was cut off once again as she smacked him directly in the forehead even harder this time.

"We do NOT shout in this house. And you should be ashamed of yourself for yelling at a crying girl who's trying to apologize, no matter what she did." Mary turned away from a flabbergasted Edwin with a "hmph" and walked up to Reni, pulling out a handkerchief and offering it to her. "There there, calm down. Why don't we go into the parlor and sit down for a minute. I have some of those lemon candies I know you like." As Reni stood up with a wordless nod Mary glared at Edwin again. "Edwin will be skipping breakfast due to his behavior, so we can have a talk without him for a bit."

"Skipping breakf…" Edwin stopped himself mid-sentence and just fumed in place as Mary led Reni out of the room. They heard him growl in fury and leave in a huff out the back door, not bothering to say another word as he slammed the it behind himself. Reni felt horrible that Edwin had gotten yelled at, but seeing as she couldn't even form words well right now as she sniffled she was grateful to Mary for the save.

"Edwin!" William called, looking frustrated as he followed after his son.

"I'll just stay here then" Jenus said casually to Reni's retreating back, like nothing at all had happened. Reni really hated him sometimes.

As Reni was being walked out of the kitchen they turned the corner and saw Mitzi standing there, dressed in a loose-fitting shirt and pair of pants. She jumped as they came into sight and nodded her head at them, face red. "G-good morning." Without waiting for a reply she quickly walked around them, but not before looking back at Reni for a brief moment. Reni glared back, and once again she felt that bitter anger. She wished that the gnome would just go away.

* * *

Mitzi waited around the corner as she made sure Reni and Mary were not coming back right away. Breathing a sigh of relief she entered the kitchen, and saw Jenus standing near the stove, casually munching on some bacon as he scanned the place. "Mary gets upset if people eat early" Mitzi said, sitting down at the table.

"Then I just won't get caught" Jenus replied, finishing off the bacon as he smiled and sat down across from her. "How are you this morning?"

"Fine, thank you." Mitzi thought it was a bit strange to be exchanging pleasantries with one of the people who had kidnapped her the previous day, but shrugged it off. "How are you?"

"Oh, doing alright. Yesterday's fiasco was easier to smooth over than I imagined, so I'm relieved about that. Incidentally, I really am sorry for everything that happened. We all got a little trigger happy I'm afraid, but please believe we never intended on hurting you." Jenus smiled brightly, moving some strands of platinum blonde hair out of his perfect elven face. "And as for Grosh I think he was just trying to scare you."

"He said I was going to vanish and have a 'nasty accident.' That's not trying to scare someone, that is a direct threat." Mitzi frowned back at him, not trusting this elf for even a moment as she folded her arms.

Jenus steepled his fingers dramatically and rested his chin there. "Ok, well, yes. But believe me, I would have stepped in at once if he would have actually made to harm you."

"So you COULD have saved me but you didn't. From the orc holding a knife." Mitzi did not budge her arms or frown even a bit.

The smile on the elf's face looked a bit strained now. "Look, I did apologize. I also meant what I said, I wasn't going to let you come to harm if I could help it. I'm not an idiot, Edwin would have probably taken all of our heads if you'd ended up dead." Jenus brightened up this time, regaining some of that natural swagger. "Besides, I've actually grown quite fond of you as well. I can see why Edwin is so taken with you."

Mitzi was a bit annoyed to feel her cheeks flushing at the flattery. "Fine, I accept your apology. Anyhow it wasn't really your idea, was it?"

"Well, I guess you overheard the whole thing huh? Though I imagine even the neighbors heard that." Jenus sat back in his chair, balancing it on two legs. "I figured you weren't going to be far behind him."

"I'm not exactly surprised that Reni did it, but I really don't know why she hates me so much. What exactly did I do to her?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Jenus closed his eyes and got comfortable. "It's not just you. Well, in a way it is I guess. Reni gets pretty defensive when it comes to Edwin. She's pretty much been like that ever since we made our little group."

Another thing was bothering Mitzi, but it took her a moment for her to put it into words. "Why was Edwin more upset with her than you? He seemed angry with you, but I didn't expect him to shout like that at her."

"Partly because he doesn't trust me that much. I don't blame him for that, I've kept a lot of secrets from him over the years. I'm also his teacher, so it's good for him to have a bit of fear in me." Jenus opened his eyes lazily and met Mitzi's. "Simply put Reni's the opposite. The two of them are very close. Most of the time it's rare to see them far apart. Edwin's a smart kid but he's a bit too naive and trusting for his own good sometimes, I think he was just angry that she actually did that behind his back."

Frowning, Mitzi got up out of her chair and went to find the kettle. "I'm going to make some tea while we wait. Do you want some?" Jenus nodded in response, and with a quick chant she summoned enough water to fill the kettle up. Sliding it on the stove she muttered another spell and a stream of fire shot from her fingertip, slowly heating it up. Mitzi just found this quicker than waiting for the normal fire. Once the water began boiling she calmly made two cups of tea and sat down at the table. After a minute of waiting the two sipped at their tea in complete silence. "So why are the two of them so close anyhow?" Mitzi finally asked, not able to take it any longer.

A smile broke across the elf's face. "I was wondering how long you would last. Well, that story goes back to when we were still captured by the Naga. You see Edwin and myself were among the first prisoners brought to Nespirah back in the day. Qiju was the third member to be with us, then Grosh, a Forsaken named Carrie, and Reni was the last." Jenus let the front legs of his chair drop to the floor with a soft thump, his face set in a frown. "And let me tell you, Reni was not the same person she is today at all. If you think she's a bitch now, you should have met her back then. I could barely stand her. To be completely honest the only reason she was included in our initial plans of escape is because Edwin insisted on it."

Mitzi blew gently on her tea as she listened. "How exactly was she worse? And if she was so bad then why did he insist on including her?"

Snorting, Jenus looked quite annoyed as he recalled. "You know Edwin. He's a nice guy. I'm sure he would do that regardless. But Reni realized pretty quickly that she could take advantage of that kindness. That was mostly what made her terrible to be around. Edwin would give her some of his rations if she looked hungry enough. If anyone got into an argument with her he'd step in if she just cried a few crocodile tears. He'd help her with mining the pearls if she just looked tired enough. And trust me, she would be sure to rub it in our faces, especially with the food."

"So, what happened? What made her be less terrible?"

"Well, the day we escaped from Nespirah is what changed her attitude I expect." Jenus took another sip of his tea. "This is good, by the way. I wish we had something to snack on while we drink. Anyway, I never told you about the day we escaped did I? That would probably help things make more sense." He stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "But if I'm going to tell you this, why don't we take a walk? It's a long story and I'd rather someone not walk in halfway through. Especially Reni."

Hesitating, Mitzi glanced around. "Aren't we waiting for breakfast? Everyone should be here soon right?"

Snorting, Jenus shook his head. "Do you really think we're all just going to sit down and eat a civil meal after all that? Come on, breakfast is ruined. Face it. We'll leave a note, tell them we'll be back for noon. That way we can build up a real appetite, what do you say?"

Though Mitzi was torn it didn't take her long to come to a decision. "Fine, I'll take a walk with you. Leave a note then." As Mitzi sipped at her tea Jenus took a small pad of paper from his pocket and a pencil. Scribbling a note, he signed it and passed her the pencil and paper wordlessly. "Did you want me to check the letter?" Mitzi asked curiously, pulling it to her.

"I'd like you to sign it please. And include a quick sentence about how you're not being taken against your will too, that helps. Even though I guess it does sound kind of suspicious to write that. Point is, I want Edwin to be sure I didn't take you away from here against your will or anything." As Jenus explained Mitzi frowned and scribbled a quick note. She really didn't trust this elf.

Leaving the letter under a saucer, the two left out the front door and began making their way to the main road. After a moment of walking in silence Jenus spoke, his face serious again. "Anyhow, you want to know about that day right? Well we had just eaten our first meal of the day and were just getting ready to start mining when we heard the sounds of a commotion happening far off. Thankfully we had a few makeshift weapons ready by that point, so while our guards panicked and some went off to see what had happened we were ready to strike…"

* * *

As three of the five guards slithered off into the dank depths of the beast, the taskmaster turned to the six of them and snarled, lashing out with his whip and leaving a fresh gash on Qiju's back. "Get back to work! This changes nothing! If you don't meet your quotas today there will BE no second meal!"

The six of them quickly began to pry loose the pearls from the flesh of the creature. Using the shovels provided wasn't easy but thankfully it was easier than using their hands, which Jenus and Edwin had done when they first arrived. While they worked, Jenus looked up and happened to meet Grosh's eye. The orc briefly looked to the taskmaster, who was speaking in hushed tones with the other remaining guard, and then back again. He nodded. It was time.

Jenus reached over and tapped Reni gently on the shoulder once. Without a moment of hesitation she gently placed her shovel on the ground and crawled as quietly as possible over to Edwin. She pulled two small bent pieces of metal out of her shirt and started fiddling with the shackle around his right ankle in one motion, eyes narrowed in concentration she she feverishly tried to pick the lock. The other five began making more noise as they worked, nothing excessively so, but shovels did scrape against the pearls more than normal and everyone grunted harder than usual as they gave Reni time.

There was a long and horrible moment where Jenus thought they had made a huge mistake. They had chosen Reni for this job because she was the least conspicuous, and even though the guards hadn't known anything was amiss yet Jenus was sure she couldn't do it. He looked to Grosh, who was staring back with a serious expression. He was thinking the same thing. They had to change the plan. Just when Jenus was thinking he might have to risk whispering something to the orc, there was a sudden and very audible "click" noise as the shackle opened up.

"What the hell was that?" the taskmaster yelled, turning at once and starting over. He dropped the whip to the ground, this time taking out a trident. "That's it, all of you in front of me NOW!"

"Why don't you make us, snake?" Grosh asked, hands gripping his shovel tightly. Next to him Reni was bent over Qiju's shackle now, not even bothering to keep quiet as she worked at the lock.

The taskmaster snarled, exposing his fangs. "You whelp!" Turning to his fellow guard, he motioned towards their group. "Come, you haven't had much of a turn with the whip yet have you? It's time you learned." As the other guard moved and picked up the whip with a satisfied smirk on his face, the taskmaster surged forward, eyes focused on Grosh as he raised the trident, obviously meaning to bash the orc with the haft of the weapon.

Without warning Edwin freed himself from his chain and dashed directly at the second guard, his shovel in one hand as he pulled out a makeshift knife with the other. The second guard panicked, pulling back with the whip and snapping it at Edwin frantically, but he dodged it with ease as he closed the distance. The guard tried pulling a sword from his own belt, but Edwin's shovel came down hard on the hand causing him to scream out in pain. The shovel lashed out at his face next, spraying blood and teeth as it connected with a sickening crack. Before the guard could even recover Edwin had moved behind him and slit his throat, kicking the body to the ground as the Naga struggled desperately.

The taskmaster was distracted for a moment by Edwin jumping free, but unfortunately for him it was a very costly moment. A "click" noise brought him back to his senses a fraction too late. Grosh's shovel smashed him in the side, knocking the wind out of the Naga. He turned back quickly and managed to block a second shovel blow from the orc, unfortunately he didn't notice Qiju coming up behind him until it was too late. The troll's shiv stabbed into the Naga's side over and over again, dozens of times in the space of a few seconds, until ending it with buying the knife into the Naga's neck.

As both Naga lay on the floor, twitching in pools of their own blood, Edwin and Grosh began stripping their guards for any sort of weapons or other important items. After a moment Grosh pulled a key from the taskmaster's belt, unlocked his shackle and passed it down the line.

"Well that went better than expected" rasped Carrie, taking the key and quickly releasing herself. She accepted the sword that Edwin offered her with a smile. "Thank you handsome" she said with a wink, snickering as Edwin blushed angrily and looked away.

"Let's hurry" Jenus said as he freed himself and accepted the sword Grosh was passing him.

"One second" Grosh muttered, pulling a knife and a short sword from the taskmaster. After a moment of consideration he passed the short sword to Qiju and the knife to Carrie, taking the trident for himself.

Reni scowled around at everyone. "Hey, is someone going to give me a weapon already?" Looking to Edwin she pouted her lips a bit. "You're gonna leave me defenseless?"

Edwin hefted the second guard's trident curiously before nodding to himself. He turned and passed her the shiv and a knife. "I'll be fine with this and the shovel. Are we ready?"

Jenus would have preferred that Edwin keep the knife but he shrugged. There'd be no use in complaining about it now. "Ready as ever."

Moving quickly, the six of them started making their way towards one of the tunnels that led to open ocean. Carrie both broke off from the group, moving ahead quietly on her own so she kept an eye out for patrols. Soon enough she spotted one, and alerted the rest of the group with a single barely audible tap of metal on metal.

The group moved her direction, ducking behind a large pillar, and soon they spotted four guards coming their way. Thankfully they were all males, which meant they probably wouldn't have to worry about a possible spellcaster. They were speaking urgently to each other, though Jenus couldn't quite make it out. The Naga were most likely not going to see them if they continued this way, though everyone could quickly see it wasn't a sure thing. With grim expressions everyone got ready, Qiju and Grosh slipping quietly off to one side to hide behind a nearby pillar while Edwin and Jenus got ready to rush from the other side.

After a few heart-pounding moments, as the guards were just drawing near enough that Jenus was sure they would spot them any second, he saw Qiju casually heft a small stone and hurl it into the dark. The guards stopped at once as they heard the noise, all turning about and pointing their weapons this way and that. Once again taking advantage of the momentary lapse in concentration everyone acted at once, all running full tilt at the guards who whirled in surprise to meet them. Jenus saw the guard nearest to him snarl and whirl his trident around, but Edwin's weapon caught it in mid-air giving Jenus the perfect opportunity to move in and slip his sword into the Naga's side. By the time the Naga let go of the trident and desperately grabbed at his sword Edwin's shovel was smashing into his collarbone. As Edwin ended the Naga's shrieks with a few more vicious blows with the shovel to the head Jenus turned and stabbed indiscriminately into one of the remaining Naga, which was struggling with Qiju before being quickly felled by the sneak attack. As Grosh and Reni cut down their opponent, Edwin leapt at the Naga keeping Carrie at bay and stabbed the trident into the creature's back as hard as he could. As it screamed in pain Carrie was able to easily step in and open his neck.

The battle was over less than a minute after it had begun. Without waiting Edwin dropped the trident, quickly finding two swords and a knife among the corpses. Everyone else followed suit at once, scrounging what they could from the bodies wordlessly.

"Alright, let's go. Everyone alright?" Jenus asked, looking everyone over. Grosh has a nasty cut on his arm, but he was already tying it off with a strip of cloth with an unconcerned look on his face so he assumed things were fine.

"We doin' good. We be outta 'ere son" Qiju said confidently, bent down over one of the Naga. He seemed to be straining with something. After a moment he finally pulled something free, and held up a Naga fang triumphantly. "A souvenir."

Rolling her eyes, Reni started marching off again. "This is ridiculous. Let's get out of here, then you can buy all the stupid Naga teeth you want." Qiju glared after her but followed behind without a word.

"She's right, let's move" Carrie looked to Edwin with a smirk. "Oh hey, thanks for saving me by the way. Don't go falling in love with me now."

Chuckling, Edwin turned to walk with her. "Don't worry about that. I dont-"

There was a flash of blue, and Carrie staggered like she had just been pushed from behind. Jenus looked, and to his shock saw what looked like a long blue spear going in Carrie's back and out through her chest. It took him a moment to realize that the spear was actually made of ice, and then a feeling of dread settled in Jenus. They had a spellcaster. "Everyone! Hide! They have a witch!"

"Carrie! No!" Edwin yelled, his shock finally wearing off as Jenus dragged him behind cover.

As everyone scrambled out of the way and Carrie fell to the floor, another ice lance came soaring out of the darkness to strike where Jenus had been only a moment before. "Get them! Did you whelps really think you could escape? There will BE no remorse! I am going to kill you all right here!" came the shrill voice of a female Naga.

There was only the briefest of moments for Jenus to collect himself as he stood behind a pillar. He could hear the sounds of more guards getting closer, and if he left cover he would be a sitting duck. Before he had a chance to think much more than that there was a sudden chill to the air that began intensifying rapidly. Shards of ice began to fall from the air all around them, and everyone had to scramble out of the way as a blizzard roared into existence. Though Jenus had received a few cuts, he looked with a heavy heart at Carrie's body as the storm pummeled it. If she had lived through the ice spear she wasn't any longer.

Looking back to the battle at hand Jenus saw three more Naga guards coming at them, with Grosh, Qiju and Edwin not even hesitating as they rushed with weapons drawn. A fourth Naga was even now rearing back with a spear which he hurled at the Jenus. He managed to dodge at the last moment, wincing as the spear caught some stray strands of hair. He moved quickly, closing the distance as the Naga took out a scimitar and shield. The creature quickly put Jenus at a disadvantage, keeping his guard up and delivering quick slashes which Jenus just barely managed to avoid. It cackled while advancing slowly, grinning widely all the while. "I'm going to enjoy breaking your body, elf. I wonder how long it will take your bones to snap when I squeeze you."

"What a morbid imagination you have" Jenus replied, smiling despite the fear he felt. Out of the corner of his eye Jenus saw Grosh slay the guard he was battling with a scream of rage, pick up the fallen sword and rush at the witch. Jenus had a very brief moment of triumph, he was sure that the witch wouldn't have time to react to this.

Another ice bolt hit Grosh in the left shoulder, knocking him clean off his feet and sending him crashing to the ground. The witch laughed, and Jenus could clearly see her forming another ice spear even now as he barely managed to block another sword strike from the Naga. "I wonder which one I'll pick off next?" she turned to Jenus, lifting the spear and smiling. "I believe the elf then."

"Damn you!" Edwin screamed, screaming in rage as he struck rapidly at his attacker. The Naga barely managed to keep him at bay, hiding behind the shield as a Edwin lashed out continuously.

As the spear formed completely in mid-air, the witch grabbed it and raised it as she eyed Jenus. Bracing himself to dodge, he was surprised when she suddenly turned to Edwin and reared back. Jenus didn't even have enough time to yell, he just watched helplessly as he tried not to die. Right before the Naga threw the icicle something small and shiny flew towards the witch's face, making her shriek as she hurled the spear wildly. It missed Edwin completely as it hit the ground, smashing into fragments and scattering across the floor.

Quickly turning his head Jenus saw Reni standing there, legs shaking violently and arm outstretched. For a second he had no idea what had happened until the witch turned to face the goblin. A knife handle protruded from the Naga's eye, her face blazing with hatred. "You little bitch!" she screamed, stabbing out with a finger. A cone of blazing cold shot from her finger, catching Reni mid-leap. She skid along the ground, landing in a heap and covered in frost a few feet away from where she had started. With a wave she sent a handful of whirling ice shards at the fallen goblin, ripping her flesh and clothes indiscriminately. Reni did not move, face-down and blood pooling underneath her.

Edwin let out a scream of rage. He leapt at his attacker, smashing the shield aside with his entire body and stabbing his sword up and into the Naga's chin with both hands. Moving both hands to the hilt he pushed the blade up into the creature's brain as hard as he could, kicking the body aside as it twitched. Taking his remaining sword he ran at the witch, growling furiously. "I'll take your head for this!"

"Not today!" the witch cried, throwing her hands out wide. A wave of ice flowed from her tail in a wide circle, freezing Edwin's feet to the ground and stopping him in his tracks. "I've made a grave error. You monkeys can live for a few minutes longer!" With some quick hand gestures she disappeared in a blink of purple light.

"My… my lady!" yelled the Naga Jenus was fighting, clearly hurt by her abandonment. Jenus felt bad for the guy, but not nearly as bad as when Grosh bashed his skull in from behind with the shovel. With a scream of rage he turned and smashed the last Naga in the back, breaking the head off the shovel and sending the creature into Qiju's waiting blade.

Dropping the broken handle of the shovel, Grosh gingerly felt the wound left by the spell. "I hate mages. That thing was deep in there."

As Qiju and Grosh checked the bodies of the Naga, Jenus walked over to Carrie's body. A pool of blackened blood spread out from under her, and even though Jenus had no real hope that she was alive he checked anyhow. Sighing, Jenus stood up as the sound of breaking ice brought him back to his senses. Edwin was stomping over to Reni, who still wasn't moving as he gently picked her up. "Reni. Reni! Are you ok? Talk to me! Say something!"

"I… I never meant for this... " Reni croaked. Her eyes barely opened and Jenus could see tears in her eyes. "I was going... to stay out of the fighting... if it got serious."

"You're gonna be ok Reni. Don't worry. When we get out of here we'll find a priest to cure you. You'll be ok by dinner time, I promise." Taking a knife Edwin cut a long strip of fabric from his shirt and began to patch Reni up as best he could. Jenus was dismayed to see that her legs looked especially cut up, he was surprised if she could even stand. Finally satisfied with the rudimentary first aid Edwin stood, gingerly lifting Reni in his arms.

Reni lifted a fist and weakly beat on Edwin's chest. "No. Just leave me... I'll slow you down too much."

"Maybe it would be best to do as she says" said Grosh. The glare Edwin gave him was dangerous and he sighed as he clarified, "Look, how are we going to get her to the surface? We need to swim out, I doubt she'll be able to do much like that."

"Then she'll just hold onto me and I'll swim! Or we'll think of some other way!" Edwin shouted back, glaring at the orc and taking a step closer. "That's enough of this nonsense. We all promised we'd get out of here together remember?"

Scowling, Grosh also took a step closer to Edwin. "Is that so. So you would really do the same thing for me if I was hurt huh?"

"No, probably not." The satisfied look on Grosh's face lasted for only a moment as Edwin continued, "I'd probably have to get Qiju to help me. I mean, you're like a foot and a half taller than me." Grosh opened and closed his mouth, lost for words as Qiju chuckled. Smiling briefly to the orc, Edwin turned and walked up to Carrie's body. Apologizing to Reni he gently put her on the ground and then bent over the corpse. He reached out and closed her eyes with a long sigh. "She had a sister. Still human. She wanted to meet her before she died."

After a moment of silence Jenus finally spoke up. "We'd better go. That witch will send more guards soon." Nodding, Edwin stood and gathered up Reni in his arms again and without another word the group was off.

As they continued towards the exit, Jenus was the only one to hear as Reni spoke quietly to Edwin. "Why are you doing this for me? You know I've been a bitch to you right?"

"Don't talk like that. You're fine. It's like you said, people just misunderstand you."

Jenus heard Reni thump her fist against Edwin's chest again. "I just said that to make you feel sorry for me. I've been doing that to you the whole time because you're so damn stupid. It's easy to make you do what I want. You shouldn't do what girls say just because they cry." Edwin must have smiled because Reni sounded quite annoyed. "What's so damn funny, huh?"

"Oh nothing. Is that what you're worried about? I already knew about that stuff" Edwin said dismissively, as if it didn't matter. Even Jenus was a bit surprised at that. "I mean it's not like you were ever that annoying so it's fine."

"...Well, if you knew then why did you just go along with it? Are you just messing with me? Laughing at me behind my back?" Despite sounding weak, Reni's voice regained that angry edge for a moment.

"No, nothing like that. Geez you're paranoid. Well, if you want my reasons there's two. First of all, I just didn't mind doing it. Like I said, you never asked me to do anything crazy. If a little extra food or water made you happy I didn't mind." Edwin sounded a bit embarrassed as he continued, "And the other reason… well, I could have just done what everyone else did. Ignore you and go about my day. But you seemed to cheer up a little bit whenever I'd help you out. I just figured it'd help make this place a little less horrible for you."

Reni was silent for a long time after that. They encountered one more Naga patrol, six guards who all seemed on high alert, but thankfully they were able to get by without detection. As they neared one of the exits into the ocean, the sounds of sloshing water faint in the distance, Reni finally spoke again, her voice barely audible. "You're such an idiot Edwin. You're never going to get a girl acting sappy like that."

"You're welcome" Edwin replied, his voice cheerful.

"I didn't say 'thank you'!" she said in a loud whisper, and Jenus could hear her thumping angrily on Edwin's chest as he tried not to laugh.

Jenus had only a moment to grin at their antics before he spotted the exit around a pillar and stopped abruptly, feeling dismay creep into his heart. There were eight Naga at the exit, one of them a female and one a larger than average male with heavy shell armor and a large shield. As everyone else stopped behind Jenus, they took turns carefully peering around the corner at this newest roadblock.

Gently placing Reni onto the floor and leaning her against the pillar, Edwin looked expectantly to Jenus. "So, what's the plan?"

"It doesn't much matter what plan we make. This is probably the end of the line" Grosh said, his voice calm and almost unconcerned.

"You could sound just a little more upset about that" Edwin shot back, looking annoyed.

Grosh shrugged, and winced. He had moved his injured shoulder. "Look I'm just being realistic. We killed Naga, and we made it this far. At least our deaths won't be entirely in vain." He pulled out two swords, a serious expression on his face. "I say we rush them. We probably won't win but we can at least kill that witch they have. We won't let this one get away."

Jenus reached out and put a restraining hand on Grosh's shoulder. "Look, I understand that we aren't guaranteed to win but we shouldn't just run in there. We should think about this, or wait for an opportunity."

"Don't be stupid, the longer we wait the more Naga are going to show up. What sort of 'opportunity' are you even expecting to possibly happen?" Grosh growled, turning to Jenus with a furious expression.

Edwin moved between the two, gently pushing them apart. "Look, let's not fight. Let's just wait a minute or two, ok? Maybe some of them will leave. You never know."

Judging by Grosh's twitching eyebrow it looked like he was just about done with Edwin. "Listen. One of those patrols will come here in a minute and then we'll have even more Naga on our hands. Stop being stupid. We are on our own."

A loud cry echoed through the cavern, and their group turned quickly to see a human clad in thick metal armor charging right into the group of Naga. His shield smashed one in the side as he moved in towards the large armored male, who barely managed to block a blow from the human's glowing sword. "Out of my WAY!" he screamed, slamming his foot on the ground as a shock wave seemed to ripple out from his foot. The Naga around him all hesitated with fear as this warrior dueled with their commander, blades flashing as the armored serpent tried desperately not to get hit.

"Attack him, you imbeciles!" shouted the female, lashing out and scratching one of the guards violently in the face for his cowardice. "How dare you hesitate for even a-AHHH!" she screamed in terror as a large black cat leapt on her seemingly out of nowhere, bearing her to the ground and ripping at her with its claws. The guard with the scratch marks looked around quickly, scanning for more intruders, and was met with an arrow in the forehead.

Following the line of fire Jenus saw a Night Elf calmly notching another arrow and firing it at the struggling witch who was even now trying to cast a spell at her feline attacker. The arrow struck it in the chest, and as the Naga shrieked the cat closed his jaws around her throat and crunched down, silencing her forever.

A dwarf stepped up next to the night elf, grinning widely. "Nice work, missy! The rest of ya, just die already!" Lifting his hands Jenus saw sparks crackling between them, and after a moment of channeling the power he threw a handful of lightning towards the Naga who were even now trying to swarm the human warrior. It struck the first one and then seemed to jump from creature to creature until they were all shrieking in pain. Two more fell, and the remaining three smaller Naga angrily left the human to their commander as they rushed towards the elf and dwarf.

The elf's cat managed to intercept the first one, and the dwarf threw up a palm and slowed the second one down with a burst of ice. However the third one drew near, trident ready as it bared its teeth in fury. The elf let another arrow loose but it hit the creature's shoulder, not even slowing it down as it reared the weapon back. Jenus was already moving to try and intercept but he could already tell he reacted too late.

Jenus didn't realize that Edwin was running until he was already practically there on top of the Naga. It seemed to notice him just in time as it thrust its trident at Edwin instead, who barely managed to dodge and close in, slamming the thing in the chest with his shoulder and jamming a knife into the creature's side. It screeched in pain and punched Edwin in the gut, and while he reeled the Naga brought the haft of his trident around in an arc and caught Edwin in the face, sending him crashing to the ground. It snarled and raised its trident to finish Edwin off.

"Hey. You." The Naga turned his head towards the Night Elf, who calmly shot the thing in the eye. Before the body even hit the floor she was already whistling to her cat and pointing at the commander, who looked rather overwhelmed as he tried to account for this new threat as well.

"I will not yield!" the Naga commander screamed, swiping wildly with his sword and causing the human and cat to leap away. "I fight for Queen Azshara!"

"Oh shut your hole" the Dwarf said with a scowl. Chanting angrily he balled his hand into a fist and it burst into flame as something red hot seemed to drip to the floor. With a cry the dwarf hurled a ball of molten lava at the Naga, hitting it in the chest. The lava melted the armor it touched and began burning skin and scales, sending a horrible burnt fish smell through the place. The Naga screamed in agony, dropping his weapon as he tried desperately to remove his breastplate. Wasting no time at all, the human warrior stepped in and with one brutal strike the creature's head was rolling on the floor.

Jenus sprinted to Edwin's side and helped him to his feet. "Are you alright? He got you good there."

Nodding, Edwin managed a woozy grin. "Yeah. I just need a second."

"Thanks for the help there, boy!" laughed the Dwarf as he slapped Edwin hard on the back, sending him staggering forward. "You look like crap! Let me help you out." Extending his hand the dwarf mumbled to himself and a green glow pulsed around Edwin, clearing up some of his minor cuts and scrapes.

Shaking his head briefly, Edwin smiled at the Dwarf. "That's much better. I guess you're the people who caused the commotion. If that's the case we need to thank you. We were only able to escape because of that."

The human walked up to his companions, sheathing his sword. "Not a problem. I only wish we would have known there were more prisoners, we'd have tried to save you ourselves." He reached out and shook hands with Edwin. "Rodney. Rodney Townend. This handsome fellow right here is Dandak, and the lady with the bow is Fylanna. We're quite pleased to meet you. I admire your resourcefulness in escaping."

Looking quite pleased with himself, Edwin grinned. "We've been here for two years, we've had time to get ready. I'm Edwin Ogden, and this is Jenus. It's a pleasure to meet you.

"Charmed" Jenus said as he quickly shook hands as well, wanting to get on with it. "Listen, is there any way you could possibly help us escape? We were planning to leave right here but I'm not sure we could make it to the surface. If any Naga attack we'll certainly be killed."

"Don't worry!" Dandak reached out and placed his hand on the elf's chest, chanting a quick couple of words. Jenus felt a strange sensation, like his lungs were slightly lighter now. "You'll be able to breathe in the water like this. We'll lead you to a safe place." He turned to Edwin. "Your turn lad."

"Oh, wait a second!" Edwin turned and ran back towards the pillar, leaving the Dwarf looking puzzled as he glanced to his companions. Then he came back in sight, carrying Reni in his arms. Grosh and Qiju flanked him on either side and Jenus could tell both looked more than a bit nervous. He couldn't blame them, they were in trouble if these adventurers wanted to make things difficult. "Sorry about that. Can you help our friends too? I can't really leave here without them. And Reni here is pretty badly hurt, if you could heal her a bit I would be very appreciative. It'll be difficult for her to swim like this."

The Dwarf lost all trace of a smile. The Night Elf and human looked at each other solemnly, and Jenus knew this was not going to turn out well. "I'll heal you boy, and help you breathe underwater. But there's no way in the world I'm going to cast a good spell on a greenskin. I owe you a debt, but I'll never help those things."

Jenus could tell by Edwin's face that he had been dreading this kind of reply. He opened his mouth a few times, his face turning red. "But, why? I'm not asking you to like them, just help us out. I'm sure that we could give you some kind of reward for helping us out if you gave us time to put some money together…"

"Do you even know how much my people have suffered because of them? How many of YOUR people?" Dandak shot back, glaring at Edwin's group. "They can rot down here for all I care. Now, are you going to come with us or not?"

Breathing heavily through his nose, Edwin just looked down at the floor for a moment. Jenus thought he was about to scream, but he looked up at Dandak with a determined look on his face. "Ok then. If you owe me a favor, then don't cast that charm on me. Please cast it on Reni here instead. I'm pretty good at holding my breath so I can probably make it to the surface, but she can't like this." Edwin turned to Qiju, his face set in an intense scowl. "I'm sorry but you and Grosh should probably hide out here for a bit. If I make it to the surface I'll send Jenus back down to get you guys. If I don't then look for some other way out, alright?"

"Didn't you hear me?!" the Dwarf yelled, face turning red. "I'm not touching any of those things! That includes the goblin! What are you, some kind of idiot?!"

That finally broke Edwin's patience, and his face was livid as he turned toward Dandak. Despite his anger he placed Reni carefully on the floor, leaning her against his legs before returning his attention to the dwarf. "Why?! Why won't you just… help them?! Why is that so hard?! They might die down here if you don't help them!"

"Edwin, enough." Qiju laid a hand on Edwin's shoulder. "Just go. We'll find another way."

Shaking the hand off Edwin glared back at the troll. "No! How could I just leave like that?!" Turning his glare back on the dwarf, he took a few deep breaths before continuing. "Don't you care at all?! How can you sleep at night if they die?!"

Dandak looked completely unfazed. "I'm sure I'll sleep just fine if some orc, troll and goblin I've never met before dies. Why should I lose sleep over that?"

"Why would you lose sleep over that?" Edwin repeated, balling his hands up into fists. He looked like he was about to explode as he squeezed his eyes shut. "You're really not going to lose sleep? Three people might die here today. Three people with families and friends and people who love them and don't want to see them hurt. You're gonna just let them die and you're telling me you're just going to go home and sleep like nothing happened?" Edwin opened his eyes and stared furiously at the dwarf, tears shining in his eyes as he fought to hold his voice steady. "You fucking monster."

The dwarf opened his mouth, but nothing came out for a moment. "Um…" he mumbled, looking quite a bit less certain as he glanced at Rodney.

Throwing his hands up in the air, Rodney backed up a step. "Don't look at me. You're the one who refused to help."

Looking back to Edwin, Dandak set his face in a firm scowl once more. "Look boy it doesn't change the fact that I won't help them. I've seen plenty of random greenskins die, why would this be different?"

"Because they're not random greenskins you asshole!" Edwin cried back, wiping his eyes before clapping Grosh on the shoulder. "This is Grosh! He acts all reserved and badass, even though he tries a little too hard sometimes! And when he gets out of here he wants to eat a cheap sausage on a bun with mustard from Orgrimmar!"

"Hey, don't tell them that! They don't care! Also what do you mean tries too hard?" Grosh complained, shaking Edwin's arm off.

"This is Qiju!" Edwin continued, ignoring Grosh as he clapped a hand on the troll's shoulder. "He's really quiet, but he loves listening to stories and he laughs way too hard at fart jokes!" Qiju shrugged, as if saying 'well you got me there'. Edwin let go and put a hand on Reni's head, who looked up at him with an unreadable expression on her face. "This is Reni. Some people say that she's annoying but I think she's fun to be around. And when she thinks everyone is asleep at night she cries because she's scared of dying here."

"You… you knew about that?" Reni's cheeks flushed a darker green as she covered her mouth with her left hand.

Edwin looked down at Reni and nodded once, patting her on the head before looking back to Dandak. "Alright then. If you're really ok with them dying then I don't need help from someone like you." Reaching down Edwin picked up Reni and re-positioned her in his arms to make her more comfortable. "Jenus, I'm sorry. I'm going to stay here and help them find a way out. Please report my disappearance if I don't return. Grosh, Qiju, I think we might be able to find a solution if we take one of those female Naga alive. That one we fought earlier is still around here I'll bet, we can find her if we start looking quickly. I imagine they're going to call in reinforcements soon enough."

"Wait…" Dandak looked concerned as Edwin checked his weapons. He grit his teeth in anger. "Why are you doing this? Do you really think they'd do the same for you? If we were members of the Horde right now they'd be leaving you behind!"

"That doesn't matter. Maybe they would leave me behind, I don't know. But I do know one thing." Edwin looked at Dandak directly, his eyes were red but also unwavering as he met the dwarf's gaze. "If I was the kind of person who would just leave three of my friends behind to die while I got away to safety… I wouldn't even want to look at myself in the mirror after that." Turning away, he nodded to the others. "Let's go."

Jenus watched helplessly as Edwin began walking away, speaking in urgent whispers with Grosh. He turned to Dandak and saw the dwarf scowling at the ground, his hands balled into fists as he shook. Finally after a moment he growled in fury and started marching towards the retreating figures. "Dammit, stop! Stop already you little shit!" Edwin stopped and turned around with a surprised look on his face as the dwarf marched up to them and pointed at Reni. "First things first, put her down." When he hesitated for a moment the dwarf snapped his fingers in Edwin's face impatiently. "I don't have all day! Just put her down already!" As Edwin placed her on the ground the dwarf put a hand on her shoulder, muttering as a green glow covered Reni's body. Jenus could see the cuts and gashes left behind by the Naga healing all over, closing up like they'd never been there. "Can you stand?" the dwarf asked, his gruff demeanor softening for a moment as he removed his hand.

After a moment Reni stood up unsteadily on her feet. She bounced in place, bending her knees as she bobbed up and down and smiled. "Yeah, I can move again!"

"Fine, whatever" the dwarf said, placing his hand on Reni's head as a blue glow surrounded her body. "You two, get over here" he barked to Grosh and Qiju, who both quietly accepted the water breathing charm. Wordlessly Dandak also cured Grosh, the puncture wound left behind by the ice spear sealing up and leaving a small circular scar behind, before turning to Edwin. "There. I hope I'm not a monster in your books anymore?" he asked, placing his hand on Edwin's chest and surrounding his body in that same brief blue aura. Dandak looked a bit exhausted after all of these spells as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"No, not at all!" Edwin reached down and hugged the dwarf, who almost immediately tried to struggle out of it. "Thank you so much! I'm sorry for what I said, you're a great guy Dandak! I was just angry, that's all! Hey guys, remember to say thank you to Dandak!"

"Get off of me!" Dandak roared, finally pushing Edwin off with great effort. "I just did it to shut your mouth, you hear me?! I don't want thanks from any of them! In fact, I'd be grateful if you all just completely forgot that this ever happened!"

As the dwarf turned to walk away, a hand on his shoulder stopped him and made him angrily turn around. Reni stood on her toes and kissed Dandak on the cheek. "Thank you for helping us" she said with a smile.

"I-I certainly didn't do this so some greenskin would kiss me!" Dandak yelled, whirling around and marching back to his companions. Jenus tried not to laugh as he noticed how red the dwarf's face was.

"Well that was certainly a waste of time" Rodney mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"I thought it was sweet" Fylanna replied, smiling broadly as she looked at Jenus. "You have a very interesting friend there. But more importantly, we should all get moving. We're enchanted with some powerful spells to help us move in the waters of Vashj'ir, so we should be able to keep you all safe until we get to a safe haven."

"Excellent. Thank you, we owe your group our lives" Jenus said with a bow.

As everyone made their way to the exit, Fylanna gave a sly grin to Dandak. "Well, there's one good thing about all this."

"What's that?" Dandak replied, eyes narrowing.

"At least you'll be able to sleep well tonight knowing you helped three people, right?" she asked innocently.

"Oh shut your face, you purple wench!" Dandak's face was still red as he picked up the pace. "I'll never live this down…" he muttered to himself.

* * *

"So, that was pretty much how we escaped. We rested up at Silver Tide Hollow for a couple of days before deciding that we would assist in the efforts against the Naga." Jenus sighed gratefully as he finished his story, and perked up as he noticed a small pond nearby. "Why don't we go sit down for a moment? I could use a moment off my feet."

As the two sat down on a log Mitzi summoned two glasses of water and passed one to Jenus, who accepted it gratefully. As he drank, Mitzi sipped at her own drink thoughtfully. "So, that's why Reni is so attached to Edwin. She feels like she owes her life to him."

"That's certainly a big part of it yes. I believe that her, Grosh and Qiju all feel at least in part like they owe their lives to Edwin. Like I said earlier Reni was a lot different after that whole experience. She's certainly not pleasant to deal with all of the time but I won't lie, I find her quite dependable. Of course I would never tell her that." He chuckled to himself, finishing off his glass of water and thanking Mitzi when she offered him another.

"That explains a lot. I don't know why but it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders or something." Mitzi smiled as she watched dragonflies buzz around the pond. Of course it made sense that Reni would want to protect Edwin if she owed her life to him.

"Why is that?"

"Well… I don't know. I guess I just thought… that she was in love with him or something." Mitzi felt strangely apprehensive now. She had finally voiced a concern that had been nagging at the back of her mind since she had met the goblin. She looked to Jenus, hoping he would confirm how crazy her suspicions were.

Jenus took a long moment to respond as he drank his water thoughtfully. Finally he put the drink down on the ground and looked Mitzi dead on. "Why do you think she's not?"

Feeling that sense of apprehension growing stronger Mitzi took a sip of water to clear the spit from her mouth before speaking. "You just said, they all have a life debt to him. And…" Mitzi trailed off, realizing she didn't have much more evidence than that. "What, are you saying she IS in love with him?" Mitzi finally shot back, feeling suddenly annoyed.

Shrugging, Jenus picked up a rock and after turning it in his hand for a moment threw it at the pond. It skipped over the surface three times before plunking into the water. "Damn. I thought I could do five." Before Mitzi could say something out of frustration Jenus spoke again, his tone serious. "I don't know how Reni feels. I'm not her, and I've never asked her. You'll have to do that if you want to know I'm afraid."

Looking down at her feet, Mitzi's mind raced as she considered this. It couldn't be true, right? If it was true did Edwin love her back? She hadn't seen him in ten years, how well did she really know this Edwin she was with now? Trembling slightly she looked up at Jenus again. "What exactly is their relationship? Are they just partners?"

Frowning, Jenus didn't look at Mitzi. "I'm sorry, but I think you should be asking Reni or Edwin about that."

"No, tell me what you know!" Mitzi cried back, grabbing his shoulder and forcing him to turn towards her. Jenus still had that frown on his face and Mitzi could tell he wasn't going to budge. She decided to use her trump card. "Listen, you owe me for what you did the other day. So if you tell me this I'll forgive you, ok?"

Jenus hesitated, his face shifting as he thought. "Listen, I really don't think I should be the one telling you all of this. I wasn't lying when I said that. Besides everything else it might be something you just don't want to hear."

Taking a deep breath, Mitzi thought for a long moment if she should push the issue or not. She could just wait until she got back, and ask Edwin when she saw him. But… there was a small doubt in the back of her mind. A part of her thought there was a possibility, no matter how slim, that Edwin wouldn't tell her the truth. Or at least not all of it. She hated herself for even thinking that but she couldn't deny that she had only known Edwin again for a day after more than ten years apart. As much as she wanted to think that she knew practically everything about him that just wasn't the truth. "Please, just tell me what you know."

Turning back towards the pond again Jenus sighed and put his hands on his knees. "Like I said, I don't know exactly how she feels. I can just tell you what I saw." Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Jenus felt around for some more skipping stones. "I never thought I would even tell this story to anyone. This was just a couple of months after we had mistakenly thought you were dead. Reni and Edwin were pretty close by that point, ever since they went to Dalaran together. Not that it was anything closer than being good friends as far as Edwin was concerned."

"Wait, wait… why did they go to Dalaran together?" Mitzi was starting to feel a bit upset and bit her bottom lip in frustration.

"Well I think I told you that once we were done with the Naga we took a little personal time before heading to Pandaria. Reni said she didn't have any family she actually wanted to see so she ended up travelling around with Edwin when he visited his family and then went to Dalaran to look for you. Ever since then they've pretty much been inseparable. Last night may have been the first time they've spent more than twelve hours apart since then in fact." With quick flicks of the wrist Jenus started skipping stones across the surface of the pond, one after the other. "Anyhow. One night we ended up in the Veiled Stair. There was a small inn there called the Tavern in the Mists, and thankfully they ended up having enough rooms for us all. I wanted to relax that night and they had a small outdoor bath so I indulged myself for a few hours, well beyond the time everyone else had gone to bed. I had just gone back to my room and was drying my hair when I decided to open the window…"

* * *

It was dark as Jenus entered his small, cramped room, but as he dried his hair lazily with a towel he decided against lighting a lantern. Walking to the window he opened one half of the wooden shutters, letting in the brilliant moonlight. Looking down he noticed Edwin sitting on the ground not far away, his various weapons laid out in front of him on a small roll of cloth as he meticulously sharpened and polished the lot one by one. Jenus watched him sadly for a minute or so before turning away and preparing for bed.

Edwin had been like this since the Isle of Thunder, never sleeping much as he busied himself with menial tasks. His behaviour in general had been different, he had stopped talking as much and would usually just stand there listlessly whenever he wasn't being asked a direct question. However it was true that his performance on mission had been steadily improving. Just the day before they had a mission to eliminate some of the saurok that had been plaguing the locals and Edwin had once again been brutally efficient, cutting down dozens of the lizardmen often before they knew what was even happening. Despite this Jenus wished he knew some way to bring the old Edwin back, even just a bit. Jenus had never realized until these last few months that the nights around the campfire were much colder with Edwin silent and brooding. The problem was that broaching the subject was a sure way to make Edwin stomp off without a word, so as of now there had been a silent agreement among the group to just not talk about it until he was ready.

Just as he was about to climb into the bed Jenus heard a voice from outside. It was faint but his elven ears picked up the words all the same. "Edwin? What are you still doing up?" Glancing out the window, Jenus saw Reni approaching Edwin. She was dressed in a loose-fitting shirt and pair of shorts, her bare feet making hardly a noise in the grass as she sat down next to him. "You need to get to sleep. We're waking up early tomorrow."

For a moment Jenus considered closing the window quietly, laying down in bed and ignoring this conversation. However curiosity was quickly getting the better of him. Moving silently he picked up a wooden chair from the corner of the room and placed it very gently near the window. Making himself comfortable, he took a canteen of water and a plate of Pandaren rice cakes off his bedside table and began to snack as he listened intently.

"I know. You're not my mom" Edwin replied after a long silence, not looking at Reni as he neared the end of his weapon cleaning.

"Right. I know. Sorry." Reni sat there, quietly watching for a few minutes as Edwin finished and began replacing everything carefully into their proper sheaths. "You didn't sleep a lot last night either" she finally said, her voice a bit accusatory.

Edwin stopped halfway through rolling up his cloth bundle. "What did I just say?" he asked, his voice dangerous. "I was fine, wasn't I? I just need a little cold water in my face in the morning."

"What about the week before that?" Even from where he sat Jenus could see Reni scowling at Edwin now. "Stop pretending this is just today or yesterday."

After a moment of heavy breathing Edwin spoke calmly, though Jenus could see him shaking. "I SAID it's none of your business. You have no idea what I'm going through."

"Because you won't even talk to me about it. How am I supposed to know?" Reni hesitated for a moment before placing a hand on his shoulder. "But I do know that she probably wouldn't want to see you acting like this."

Edwin stood up, one hand clutching the cloth bundle tightly as he shrugged off Reni's hand. He was trembling. "How do you know what she would have wanted? You have no right to tell me that." He finally looked at Reni, eyes blazing. "Fine, what do you think I should do then? Huh?"

Reni looked quite uncomfortable now but didn't back down. "I think you should let her go. She's dead."

"Let her…" Edwin muttered, and Jenus was sure for a moment that if if it was anyone but Reni he would have probably punched them in the face. "How dare you. You want me to just forget about her? To pretend she just didn't exist? How could-"

"No!" Reni froze in place, clearly not having meant to shout to loud. After a moment of silence she seemed to conclude that nobody was coming to check on them and continued. "I'm not saying forget about her. She was important to you. I'm just saying… I wish you would remember that you're alive and you still have people who care about you." Reni, who was still sitting, reached up and took Edwin's hand. With a gentle pull he collapsed back to the ground in a sitting position.

"H-how can I just let her go?" Edwin asked, and Jenus could tell he was trying to hold back tears. "That's just… asking too much…"

Reaching out, Reni pulled Edwin into a hug. As he cried softly she soothed him, stroking his hair tenderly. "Maybe that is asking too much. I'm sorry." Reni continued to stroke his hair for another moment before pulling away as Edwin calmed down a bit, wiping his face on his sleeve. "Then, can you do something else for me instead?" she asked, her eyes not leaving his face.

Edwin smiled faintly as he composed himself. "Sure. What is it?"

Leaning up, Reni moved her face towards Edwin and kissed him once. "You don't have to let her go. But can you forget about her, just for tonight?" She crawled into his lap, moving in for another kiss. "Look at me, just for tonight."

"W-wait…" Edwin moved his head back, eyes huge as he fought for words. "Reni, I.. what are you…"

"I'm sorry" Reni said, getting off Edwin. Her face was noticeably darker even here in the moonlight. "I'm sorry, that was probably pretty weird for you, wasn't it?

"Why would it be weird?" Edwin looked confused as he sat up straight again.

"I'm a goblin, stupid…. I'm sorry. It's just, if I were a human this probably wouldn't be so strange." Reni turned to leave. "I'm going to go to bed, I'm really sorry."

Edwin's hand shot out and grabbed Reni's, stopping her fast. "Just a second. Come back here." As Reni reluctantly sat back down, Edwin took a moment to compose his thoughts. "Look, it's not the fact that you're a goblin at all."

Scoffing, Reni looked away. "Sure. I understand."

"I'm not lying to you. I do find you attractive. You're cute. You also have some great boobs and hips. It's really not about that." Edwin was rubbing the back on his head, looking down at the ground.

"Oh… well, what is it then?" Reni looked quite a bit more pleased with herself now but still sounded skeptical.

Still not looking up, Edwin spoke to the ground. "I don't want you to do something like that with me just to make me feel better… I know you're trying to help but you should do that with someone you really care about. Like I said, I think you're a lovely girl. I'm sure there's someone better for you than me."

Reni just looked at him for a moment, and then turned his head to face her. She kissed him again, much longer this time. When she broke the kiss she smiled, putting her hands to his face. "That's not true."

Edwin sat there for a moment, staring into Reni's eyes. Then he put his arms around her, drawing her in as the two began to kiss passionately. Jenus could see their tongues flashing in the moonlight as Reni wrapped her arms around Edwin's neck and pulled herself closer. The two stayed like that for a couple of minutes, hands slowly exploring each others' bodies, until Edwin finally broke the kiss. He stood up, hands holding Reni by her rear as she hung on around his neck. "Let's go to my room."

"Alright then" Reni replied breathlessly as Edwin hurried inside.

Listening at his door Jenus heard footsteps coming up the stairs, then the sounds of a door opening and closing. Though he considered going to Edwin's room to try and listen in further, his curiosity had been satiated. Though he did have concerns about all of this Jenus had to admit that this might help Edwin out of this spiral of depression. With a sigh he finished his rice cakes and flopped into bed, drifting off to sleep shortly after.

* * *

Mitzi was speechless as Jenus finished his story. She just stared out at the pond, mouth hanging open as she tried to comprehend this. Eventually she found words again, and spoke in a slightly cracked voice, "So… what kind of relationship do they have exactly? Are they lovers?"

"I don't know much to be honest. That night was the most I've ever seen or heard of their… physical relationship. They've been rather good about keeping it from the rest of the group. Or at least, Grosh and Qiju have never said anything to me about it. I wonder if I would have noticed much if I didn't see them that night." Jenus stood up, wiping his hands on his pants. "But since I did notice them that night, I was aware of certain things after that. They'd both go to bed around the same time, they'd touch each other's shoulders and hands a lot… it's just a feeling, but if I had to classify their relationship I guess it would be 'friends with benefits'?"

"I just…" Mitzi tried to control her breathing. "I just don't understand... why does she like him? I mean she's a goblin!"

Jenus gave Mitzi a long stare. "Well. You're a gnome and you like him. Is it really so hard to believe?"

"But, we're still mostly the same! I'm just, well, short. How does he think she's…" Mitzi trailed off, not knowing exactly what she was going to say.

"You mean because she has green skin? And big ears?" Jenus chuckled as he walked closer to the pond. "I don't think that kind of stuff bothers him much. He's never once complained about us not being humans after all. It's one of the good things about him, he just sees other people as people. No matter the race." Turning back to Mitzi he motioned back down the road towards Edwin's house. "I think we should probably start heading back. I don't know how much more I can tell you. This time I mean it, you should be talking to Edwin and Reni if you want more answers."

Mitzi stood up and followed alongside Jenus wordlessly as they made their way back. Her mind felt like it was spinning with all of this talk about Reni. As Mitzi bit her bottom lip in frustration, for the first time she wished that the goblin would just go away.

It wasn't long until they reached the house again. As they neared the front door Mitzi was glad that she didn't hear any shouting or screaming coming from inside. It was probably safe to enter.

Opening the front door Mitzi heard the sounds of people talking, and after taking off her boots she entered the kitchen to find William, Mary and Reni all having a chat. Mary looked up from chopping potatoes and brightened up. "Oh, Mitzi! I'm glad you're back. Edwin is still sulking out back, but he'll be back for lunch. Why don't you go talk to him?"

Glancing over at Reni, Mitzi was surprised to see that the goblin wasn't glaring at her for once. Instead she was peeling potatoes, and looked up very briefly before returning to her task. Mitzi saw that she had changed out of her armor, and was now wearing a simple shirt and pair of shorts. "She's right. I'm helping Mary make lunch so you don't have to worry about that, and I'm sure Edwin wants to see you too."

There was a bit of an awkward silence in the air as Mitzi thought of something to say, but thankfully Jenus came in at that moment and filled it. "Ah, I can see everyone missed breakfast entirely then?"

"Yes, we're just skipping right to an early lunch today" William said, sketching absentmindedly on a pad of paper with a stub of pencil. "How was your walk by the way?" he asked, looking back and forth between Jenus and Mitzi.

"Very fair" Jenus replied happily, sitting down in a chair across from William. "The area is quite pleasant."

Nodding, Mitzi quickly agreed. "Yes, it's lovely. I can see why Edwin bought you a house out here."

"Not just Edwin, we have Reni here to thank for that as well!" Mary said with a smile at the goblin, who did not look up from her potato peeling.

There was once again that feeling of anxiety coming on as Mitzi asked, "What do you mean?"

"Well, when we were buying the house Reni came with us and let me tell you I am SO glad we brought her. Everything looked fine in the house at first glance but she was able to point out over a dozen things for the owners to fix." Mary smiled proudly, like she was bragging about her own daughter. "In the end she took over the negotiations and ended up getting us 10% off the price they were asking, plus they fixed all of the issues we found as well!"

Reni still didn't look up but Mitzi could see her cheeks were flushed a dark green. "I didn't do anything really. They were just trying to cheat you and I pointed it out. I'm just glad I was useful."

Mary hugged Reni from behind, smiling down at the goblin. "Well that's why you'll always have a place to stay here, no matter what." Though Reni smiled Mitzi could tell her heart wasn't into it. She went back to peeling potatoes, a sullen look on her face.

Something about all this just made her feel even worse. Mumbling something about going to look for Edwin, she went back to the front door and slowly put her boots on. She had never really paid attention until just now but Reni and Mary were on good terms. More than that, she seemed to absolutely love the goblin. Mitzi remembered something Mary had said earlier, 'I have those lemon candies you like'. How many times had Reni been here in the past? But it wasn't just that, there was something else about Reni that made her feel uncomfortable. Something Mitzi couldn't yet quite put a finger on. It was almost like Reni knew her good times here would soon come to an end.

Trying to push these thoughts aside Mitzi left the house and wandered around to the back yard. There she smiled as she saw a small but well-maintained garden, filled with all manner of herbs, vegetables and even a couple of fruit trees. Mitzi thought that this must be William's side hobby, he always did seem to enjoy tending to the plants back at the Westfall house. It took Mitzi a bit to locate Edwin, until she found him sitting casually on one of the lower branches of an apple tree. His eyes were closed while he leaned back against the trunk, and for a moment Mitzi thought he was asleep. "Edwin?" she asked, cautiously.

Opening his eyes, Edwin jumped down and landed right in front of her, making Mitzi jump back and yelp as she fell on her butt. "Oh, sorry about that!" Edwin said, face turning red as he helped Mitzi back to her feet. He grinned apologetically, kissing her on the cheek. "I heard you coming and I just… wanted to surprise you."

Though she did feel a little annoyed Mitzi shrugged that off. She stared hard into Edwin's eyes. "Nevermind about that. You ran off without saying anything at all."

The grin slowly slipped off Edwin's face as his shoulders drooped a bit. He sat down on the ground, leaning against the trunk of the apple tree. "Sorry about that too. I know, I sorta… lost control back there."

"Why are you so upset at Reni?" Sitting down next to Edwin, Mitzi didn't know why she was asking him this. She knew the answer. But she did want to hear Edwin's take on it all the same. "You weren't nearly as angry with Jenus."

Scoffing, Edwin smirked and stared off into the distance. "I expect that kind of stuff out of Jenus. He's crafty, he always seems to be listening in on conversations he shouldn't and being where you don't want him. It made sense to me that he was the one to do this, after all I have these daggers now, I know they've been a bit nervous about the company I keep." He paused for a moment, staring towards the house before continuing. "As for Reni… I'm just acting stupid, I know. But she's my partner. We made a promise to each other that we wouldn't keep secrets like that, and she ends up breaking it just like that. It might sound silly but I'm not really angry with her, deep down. Just disappointed."

The frown on Edwin's face made Mitzi feel anxious again. "You really trust her don't you?"

"Well, yeah. I trust her with my life." Edwin said it boldly with no hesitation, making her feel even worse. He looked at Mitzi, concerned as he put an arm around her. "What's the matter? You've looked like something is on your mind since you got here. Did Jenus say anything weird to you during your walk?"

"No, nothing like that" Mitzi lied, giving Edwin a warm smile. "Sorry, I'm just hungry. I get a little cranky sometimes."

"Alright then." Edwin did not look entirely convinced but he dropped the subject. They sat like that for a moment before Edwin lifted Mitzi up and put her in his lap, wrapping his arms around her stomach.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Mitzi asked as Edwin settled back. Her head was leaning back against his chest, and despite her nervousness she found this quite comfortable.

Shrugging, Edwin looked down to Mitzi with a faint smile on his face. "I just felt like sitting here like this for a while. Is that ok?"

Feeling a blush redden her cheeks, Mitzi looked away from his face. "Oh… fine. If you really want to that badly."

"Thank you." The two of them sat there for a few minutes, Mitzi closing her eyes and enjoying Edwin's body warmth as the breeze kissed her face. "Plus, I can also see right down your shirt from here" Edwin added as an afterthought, squeezing her boobs.

Without opening her eyes, Mitzi reared back and drove her elbow into Edwin's side. With a wheeze of pain he let her go, laughing. Mitzi ignored him and squirmed into a more comfortable position. Though part of her mind was saying she should be thinking about Reni, Mitzi was grateful for this opportunity to relax. With the combination of Edwin's warmth and the shade of the tree, Mitzi was practically powerless to resist the nap that claimed her.

* * *

"Hey, wake up" came Edwin's voice as he gently shook her awake. "I think they have lunch ready. Let's go, alright?" Nodding as she rubbed her eyes Mitzi got up and followed alongside as Edwin went inside and removed his shoes

While Mitzi was removing her boots as well there were the sounds of footsteps and Mary came around the corner, a serious look on her face as she marched up to Edwin. "Good. I wanted to talk to you." Jabbing a finger into his chest, Mary drove Edwin back a step with a vicious glare. "We will all sit down and have a nice lunch. You will NOT make a fuss or start a shouting match, do you hear me? After lunch your father and I are going into town for a few hours, and then you and Reni are going to have a talk. A nice civil conversation." When Edwin did not respond right away she poked him harder. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes" Edwin grumbled, his face red as he avoided Mary's gaze. "I won't yell at her."

Mary seemed satisfied, nodding and walking back towards the kitchen. "Good. Fine. Then come on, the soup should be done by now."

Mitzi felt like giggling as Edwin sulked after his mother. It's not like it was that funny, but this reminded her so much of her childhood it made her nostalgic.

Lunch was rather uneventful, and seemed to go by quickly for Mitzi. Thankfully the atmosphere wasn't that awkward at all as most of the people at the table chatted lively. The only outliers were Edwin, who didn't talk much, and Reni, who was almost completely silent as she looked down at her plate. Before she knew it, she was helping Mary and Edwin clean up the dishes. As Mitzi began to feel that worry begin to grow inside of her again, Jenus stood up with a grateful smile. "Thank you again for lunch Mrs. Ogden. Your meals are always a treat."

Mary blushed a bit and shook her head. "No, no it's fine. Just something I threw together. Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?"

"Unfortunately not. I have some people to meet with back in Dalaran. Reni, Edwin, please take your time, but I would like to see the two of you after your business is concluded." As the two mumbled their agreement Jenus seemed pleased as he turned to Mitzi. "Well, since I'm going to Dalaran anyhow should I bring a message from you? As far as they're concerned you've been missing for over a day right?"

Putting a hand to her mouth, Mitzi gasped. "Oh my stars. I completely forgot about that! Just a minute please, I'm going to write a quick note." Dashing upstairs, Mitzi scribbled a quick note explaining her situation and assuring whoever read it that she was quite fine. As she made her way back downstairs again she found Jenus waiting patiently at the bottom, who graciously accepted the letter. "Please, tell them that I'll be back later on tonight to make a full report. You can give that letter to any of the Dalaran guards, they should know what to do with it."

"Of course. Will do." Jenus smiled at Mitzi, then reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "Good luck." Without waiting for a reply, he took out a hearthstone and in a few seconds he was gone.

Feeling apprehensive, Mitzi returned to the kitchen to see Edwin and Reni both sitting at the table, neither one looking at the other. William and Mary were both bustling about, gathering together some of the leftovers to bring to the neighbors. As she tied her supplies into a bundle, Mary sighed and turned to the rest of the group. "Alright, we're going to be leaving. I'll hopefully see you when I get back. Are the three of you going to be staying for dinner?"

The silence that answered the question was long. Reni squirmed in place, not saying anything as Edwin looked up at the ceiling and crossed his arms. "Um, we're… not sure" Mitzi finally said with a weak smile.

Mary looked like she wanted to say something, but after a moment she finally nodded. "Well then, we're off."

Everyone stayed quiet as they listened to Edwin's parents putting their shoes on and leaving the house. For a few minutes after that things were calm, nobody moving. Then, without warning Edwin looked down and uncrossed his arms, sighing. "Alright then. Where do we start?"

Reni looked up as well, meeting Edwin's gaze with some difficulty. "I just wanted to explain myself properly, and apologize to the both of you. I was just… I worry about you a lot." Reni's gaze shifted over to Mitzi, then back to Edwin as her cheeks darkened. "Could… could we maybe have this conversation in private? I just… feel awkward talking about some of this stuff in front of Mitzi. Please?"

Taking a deep breath, Edwin nodded as he pushed out his chair and stood up. "Fine. We can talk in my room then." Looking to Mitzi, Edwin placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll be back in just a bit."

As Reni got up and left the room with Edwin, Mitzi had the sudden urge to tell them to stop. To grab Edwin's hand from behind and pull him back, tell him that whatever Reni had to say she could say in front of her. 'What am I so worried about?' Mitzi thought as she heard them going up the stairs. 'He said he loves me right? Then why am I so worried?'

After a few minutes, Mitzi decided that standing there was going to do nothing. She would make another glass of tea, that would at least eat up some time.

The water seemed to boil painfully slow. Horribly so. Even with her magic she couldn't help but think that this was just taking far, far too long. By the time the water boiled she didn't even care anymore, leaving the stove behind and sitting down in a chair feeling frustrated beyond belief.

The minutes seemed to crawl past. Mitzi began counting the seconds under her breath, making it up to five minutes, and then ten. What was taking them so long? Probably just Reni crying, based on what she'd seen so far. That was the most logical explanation, surely. After all, when you got right down to it there was no way this was going to turn out good for Reni. She had broken Edwin's trust and even if she did something unexpected like confess her feelings for him, Mitzi felt confident that she would get turned down. Quite confident.

Try as she might, Mitzi could not stop the mental images forming. Reni crying, grabbing Edwin by the collar and telling him with tears in her eyes that she loves him. Edwin resisting at first, then saying that he cannot deny his true feelings as he passionately pushes her down onto the bed…

Shaking her head, Mitzi sulked over to the window and looked out over the back yard. No, she didn't really believe that. Not completely anyway. Though Mitzi had been separated from Edwin for a decade she still felt like she knew him, and she didn't believe he would have told her 'I love you' just to turn around and cheat with another woman. However something still bothered her no matter how much she tried to push it aside. Reni. Unless something crazy happened she would be leaving here today with a broken heart. She would lose the most important person in the world to her. In a perfect world both of them could find a way to be happy. "Maybe…" Mitzi murmured, her eyebrows creasing as a crazy thought occurred to her, but she shook her head again. No. That was ridiculous.

It had been at least fifteen minutes by her count, if not more. Mitzi stood up. She couldn't take it anymore. Without waiting another moment she went right to the stairs and up to Edwin's room. She intended to listen at the door, to just eavesdrop for a moment before returning downstairs, just to get an idea of what was going on. That was what she told herself.

Mitzi entered the room suddenly, not bothering to knock. Both Edwin and Reni, who were sitting on the bed next to each other, looked to her as one. Mitzi couldn't help noticing that Reni's eyes were red and wet with tears.

The whole room was silent for a few moments before Reni finally broke it. "Well, you're just in time. I was going to come look for you." Getting down off the bed, she walked up to Mitzi and bowed low. "Please, what happened yesterday was my fault. There's no excuse, but I was thinking of Edwin when I acted." Looking up again, Reni met Mitzi's gaze again, her face serious despite the fact that her eyes looked sad and forlorn. "I promise you however, we will never take a violent action against you again. I will see to that personally."

"Oh… thank you." Mitzi really didn't know what else to say. "I'm really not angry with you about that though, please don't worry."

Smiling faintly, Reni nodded. "Yes, Edwin told me you'd say that. Thank you. You're very kind." Reni took a deep breath and smiled, though it looked quite strained to Mitzi. "Well, I had better get going myself. I'll see you in Dalaran later on tonight Edwin." As Reni walked past Mitzi the goblin put a hand on her shoulder. "Congratulations, I heard Edwin confessed. Please, just take care of him. That's all I want." Mitzi saw Reni's expression for just a brief moment as she turned away, and she was sure that the goblin would be crying again when she left.

Mitzi watched Reni walk to the door. That feeling of apprehension hadn't gone away. She felt like it should have, but as Reni left the room and started down the hall Mitzi could only feel like this was wrong somehow. "Edwin, what did she tell you?" Mitzi asked, quietly.

"Well, pretty much the same as you. She was sorry for what she did, she said she was just trying to protect me, and then she said congrats on us becoming a couple." Edwin looked curiously at Mitzi. "Why? Is something the matter?"

Taking a few deep breaths, Mitzi's mind raced. She had been positive that Reni would tell Edwin something more than that. She didn't know what, but the fact that Reni was just leaving like this seemed wrong to her. She couldn't shake that feeling. Part of her wanted to just accept this. After all Reni had essentially just given up on Edwin. The fear, no matter how small, that she would be sidelined by another woman had vanished. However, there was a new feeling gnawing at her, one of guilt. The more that she thought of Reni's face, that sad and lonely expression, the more the feeling of guilt grew.

Without warning Mitzi started running towards the stairs. "Reni!" she cried, not knowing what she was doing. She heard Edwin say something behind her but she completely ignored it as she rounded the doorway and made it into the hall. Reni was standing there at the top step, looking confused as Mitzi walked up to her. "You can't leave yet" Mitzi told her, reaching out and grabbing the goblin's hand. Without another word she started dragging Reni back to Edwin's room.

"What? What the hell are you doing? Let me go!" Reni yelled, finally reacting as Mitzi tried to pull her into the room. "Why can't I leave?!"

"Because!" Mitzi shouted, pulling with all her might. She saw Edwin out of the corner of her eye looking completely baffled but tried to ignore him for now. "You didn't tell him everything!"

Reni froze in place. Her eyes widened, and for a moment the two just looked each other in the eye. Then she snarled, and tried desperately to pull her hand from Mitzi's. "What are you talking about? Get off of me!"

"You're going to regret it if you don't tell him!" Mitzi cried back, holding on to Reni's hand with both of her own. "Are you really ok with leaving it like that?"

"Shut the fuck up!" Reni screamed back, losing all her patience now. She desperately tried to struggle from Mitzi's grasp now, teeth bared in anger. "What the hell do you know?! You don't know ANYTHING! Let me GO you horrible bitch! You already won, what else do you want from me?!"

"Hey, what's going on?" Edwin asked, looking alarmed. He quickly moved between the two, grabbing each by the arm and forcing them apart. He looked to Reni, who was still struggling wildly to get free. "Reni. Please. Talk to me."

It took a few seconds for Reni to calm down. She punched at Edwin's arm and screamed wildly, but almost at once she stopped, going almost limp as she started sniffing. When Edwin finally let her go she collapsed onto her knees, face buried in her hands. Finally, Reni spoke in a small but clear voice. "I'm in love with you, Edwin. I have been for a while now."

The expression on Edwin's face went from concerned to shocked to confused. He seemed to struggle with this. "What? But… you've always said… that you don't think of me like that…"

"Of course I said that you dummy!" Reni cried, looking up angrily at Edwin. "I was scared to death of you being weirded out by it, so I kept my feelings to myself. I thought… I thought I had all of the time in the world to tell you. B-but now it's all over… I never even had a chance against her, did I?" Reni put her face back in her hands and started to sob, drooping even lower.

"Reni…" Edwin's expression was unreadable as he sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "I… I just didn't know you thought of me like that."

"That's why you're an idiot. We were having sex, how would I not think of you like that?" Reni demanded. Realizing what she said, she glanced guiltily to Mitzi.

Edwin's face went a bit pale as he gave an apologetic look to Mitzi before turning back to Reni. "Well… I guess you're right." After a moment of hesitation Edwin reached down and pulled Reni into a hug. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm such an idiot. I do have feelings for you too, honestly. Strong feelings. Maybe… if things were different…" he trailed off, and looked up to Mitzi. "But I'm sorry, I do love Mitzi. I want to marry her someday."

Mitzi felt her cheeks flush red, but didn't have long to bask in this news. Reni nodded slowly and stood up. "I know. I've always known. I never even had a chance against her, like I said." Walking up to Edwin she leaned forward and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Thank you for listening to me. For being my best friend." Tears ran down Reni's face as she shook. "I… before I met you I often wondered why I was even alive. I thought nobody ever really cared about me. But then I met you and… life has been so incredible since then... all I ever wanted was to be by your side forever."

"We can still be partners, Reni. You're still one of the people I trust most in the world." Edwin looked hopeful, which pulled at Mitzi's heart.

Shaking her head, Reni wiped her eyes. "I… I don't think that would be a good idea. I'm going to need some time. I'm sorry." Edwin seemed to deflate a bit, his face darkening as he looked to the floor.

As Mitzi watched this exchange, that feeling of guilt simply wouldn't go away. It took Mitzi a few minutes to put her finger on exactly what was causing that sensation, but when it struck it came all at once. Reni reminded Mitzi of herself. Even now she couldn't help imagining their roles being reversed, with a crying Mitzi giving practically the same speech.

Standing up, Reni dusted off her clothes. "Well, I'm serious this time. I need to get back to Dalaran. Mitzi, once again I'm sorry for what we did to you. ...Edwin. I'll talk with you again the next time I see you. Don't worry, I think that one day again we can be partners. I just need some space."

Nodding back, Edwin looked rather gloomy. "Yeah. I'll see you then."

As Reni turned to leave Mitzi felt that same spontaneous urge to do something. She walked up to Edwin, making him look up at her with that same depressed expression. "Edwin. I have to ask you a question about Reni."

Edwin looked rather confused and Reni stopped in the doorway, not turning around. "Uh, alright then" Edwin said, a bit unsure.

"How do you feel about Reni?" Mitzi watched Edwin's expression get more confused so she elaborated. "She said that she loves you. Do you love her?" Turning back around, Reni's face was halfway between curious and angry. Mitzi did her best to avoid the goblin's gaze as she waited for Edwin's response.

"Well…" Edwin paused. He looked more than a bit unsure as he glanced to Reni and back to Mitzi. "I… I know that I have strong feelings for her. I-"

"What does 'strong feelings' even mean?!" Mitzi shouted, getting annoyed with such a wishy-washy answer. "Fine. Let me ask you an easier question then. If we hadn't met, and you still thought I was dead, would you have gotten married to her some day?"

Nobody move or spoke. Mitzi was sure she could hear a pin drop. Reni was focused on Edwin's face, her own face blank as she waited for an answer. Edwin opened and closed his mouth, clearly lost for words. Finally, he looked to Mitzi with a pleading look in his eye. "Mitzi. What good is this going to do anyone?"

"Please Edwin… just tell us" said Reni in a small voice.

Edwin's shoulders sagged. He looked in Reni's direction, though not quite at her directly. "...Yes. I would have married her. I was planning on discussing the topic after the Legion invasion. I thought that even if you were against it you might be ok with settling down after all this."

Closing her eyes, Reni nodded. "Thank you Edwin. I… I'm just glad you thought of me that way." She smiled, but Mitzi could see the fresh tears again in her eyes. "Thank you for everything." Reni turned to leave a third time, squeezing her eyes shut.

Mitzi still wasn't quite finished however. Marching over she grabbed Reni's hand again and pulled her back in the room, slamming the door shut. "Wait. I'm not done yet."

Reni whirled on Mitzi, her face furious as she tried to shake her hand free. "WHAT?! What else do you possibly want from me?!"

"I've been thinking!" Mitzi shouted back. She had indeed been thinking, her mind working constantly since before this began. The guilt from earlier had reached a boiling point, even now Mitzi could imagine this exact situation being reversed. If Reni had just told Edwin how she felt a little earlier, or maybe if Edwin had talked about getting married earlier, then it could have so easily been Mitzi being the one whose heart was broken. Mitzi just couldn't shake the feeling that by being with Edwin she was actively ruining this girl's happiness. So, she decided to try her crazy idea from earlier. "I… I think I have an idea. One that can make us both happy!"

The hand Mitzi was holding onto stopped moving. "Wh-what is it?" Reni's face looked apprehensive as she stared into Mitzi's eyes.

Taking a few deep breaths, Mitzi collected her thoughts. She didn't know if this was the right thing to do, or even a good idea. Her heart in particular was unsure, casing her to doubt herself. Deciding to just say it and damn the consequences, Mitzi squeezed her eyes shut and said in a trembling voice, "M-maybe we can… share him?"

The silence in the room this time was even longer than last time. Mitzi finally opened her eyes and saw that Reni's face had gone almost completely slack with shock, and a quick look to Edwin confirmed that his reaction was much the same. Finally Reni closed her mouth, eyes shining. "R-really?"

"But I've got a condition!" Mitzi declared, setting her face in a scowl. "It's a simple one. I'm Edwin's wife. His only wife. But I don't mind if you stay as…" she hesitated, not knowing a nice way to say it, and went with "...his mistress."

Reni's mouth quivered and for a dreadful second Mitzi thought the goblin was going to scream in anger or attack her or both. Then Reni started crying, wiping her eyes for a moment before she reached out and hugged Mitzi. "Oh th-thank you!" she sobbed, burying her face into Mitzi's shoulder. "Thank you! Yes, I accept! I'm sorry for calling you a horrible bitch! I was… I just didn't want to lose him and when I saw him look at you the other day I just…"

As Mitzi stood there, patting Reni gently on the back and wondering if she had made the right decision, she looked up at Edwin. He was looking back, his face in a frown. "So… was anyone going to ask my opinion of all this?" he asked innocently.

Pulling away from Mitzi's embrace, Reni wiped her eyes and glared back. "Oh, please. Like you're really going to say no. You just said you were in love with me, don't pretend like you don't want this."

Edwin's face went red. "You don't know that! I might have said no, who knows?!"

"ARE you saying no?" Reni shot back angrily.

"Well… no." Edwin responded simply as he sat down on the bed. "That is, I'm ok with this, yes. Yes."

Throwing her hands in the air, Reni sat down on the bed next to Edwin. "Then stop complaining!"

"But… Mitzi, are you sure you're ok with this?" Edwin asked, looking concerned. "I'm not against this, true, but I don't want you to do this if makes you uncomfortable."

Mitzi shook her head."I'm not… completely sure. Not 100%." Looking at Reni briefly, Mitzi looked back to Edwin determined. "But I am mostly sure, yes. Unless this just totally doesn't work out, I don't see why we can't make it work. I can't stop thinking about how we could have so easily missed each other today. Who knows what would have happened if we met just a few months later.

Nodding, Edwin looked to Reni, his face serious. "Reni. Are YOU ok with this? This is a big step. Are you really ok with… well, with us not getting married? With Mitzi being my wife?"

Reni looked down at her hands as she twiddled her thumbs. "I'm also not completely sure. To be honest I'm… not sure I would have done the same thing if I were in her shoes either." Taking a deep breath, she looked into Edwin's eyes with a determined look. "I knew that she's the one you really love, I've known it this whole time. But I just want to be with you. If I have to share you with someone else then I don't care. I mean it's not like I thought we were really ever going to get married in the first place. No priest in Stormwind would ever do that. Even if what we have isn't normal though I'll try to make it work."

For the third time the room fell silent, nobody speaking or moving for a few minutes. However the atmosphere was much different this time, there wasn't that uncomfortable nature this time. Mitzi was reminded more of a calm before the storm. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air that everyone seemed to feel.

Reni finally broke the silence, standing up and stretching as her joints popped. "Alright then. I guess since we're all official now we need something to break the ice, right?"

"...Break the ice?" Mitzi asked, confused.

"Yeah." Reni turned and climbed up into Edwin's lap with a sly grin on her face. "A little group activity to bring us all a little closer. I'll go first, since you went last night." She put both hands on Edwin's shoulders and pushed him down onto the bed before leaning in and kissing him. Edwin did look a bit surprised but didn't resist as his hands moved up and started rubbing Reni's back.

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Mitzi cried, turning away from the scene. "I-if you're going to start that at least wait until I leave!"

"That defeats the whole purpose. This is to help us all grow closer. How much closer can you get than this? Plus… to be honest, I want to watch Edwin fuck you." Mitzi turned in surprise to look at Reni, who had turned away from Edwin and was smiling coyly at her. "Are you sure you're not interested in watching us? Not even a little?"

She wanted to say no. She wanted to just turn and leave… yet Mitzi found herself turning back slowly and sitting in a chair. "I'll stay for a minute. Not long, you understand."

Grinning back at her, Reni turned to Edwin and reached down to her shirt. Pulling it up and over her head she threw it off the side of the bed. She reached up to unhook her bra, but before she could Edwin was already burying his face in her chest, hands moving to do it himself. "No, let me" he said simply, licking the space between her breasts before grabbing the bra with his teeth and tossing it off the bed in one fluid motion. Turning back he took her left nipple into his mouth as his right hand came up to tease her free breast.

"You sure are energetic today" Reni said with a giggle, gasping as Edwin changed breasts. "Is it because Mitzi's watching?"

Instead of answering, Edwin's hand dropped from her breast and down to her waist. He slipped it down into her shorts and after a second Reni gasped even louder and grabbed Edwin's head tight. His hand moved back and forth and Reni's started to move in rhythm with it, her hips bucking into Edwin's hand.

"Wait, wait!" Reni cried suddenly, pushing at Edwin. Edwin stopped and removed his hand, looking surprised, before Reni pushed him back on the bed again. "I wanted to go first this time" she said softly into his ear before getting off the bed. Smiling, Reni reached down and in one motion pulled her shorts and panties down to her ankles. Stepping casually out of them, Reni pouted while standing there in just her socks. "Now it's not going to be just me being naked, is it?"

"Alright, just hold your horses" Edwin said with a smirk as he began to unbuckle his belt. Lifting his backside off the bed he slipped his pants and boxers off while Reni helped pull them off his feet and threw them on the floor. Finally he slipped off his shirt, throwing it in the increasingly large pile of clothes. "There, satisfied?" he asked, putting his hands behind his head with his erection standing up straight.

Crawling back onto the bed, Reni nodded happily. "I just love how big your dick is" she said, smiling as she put her hand on the shaft and began stroking it gently. She leaned in and kissed Edwin for a minute, their tongues coiling around each other as Edwin's hand lazily played with her breasts. Breaking the kiss, Reni grinned this time before moving down to Edwin's penis. Leaning in she gave the tip a quick kiss, running her tongue up and down the length a few times before opening wide and putting at least half of the length of Edwin's erection in her mouth.

Edwin groaned in pleasure as Reni's head bobbed slowly up and down making obscene slurping noises, and after a moment he placed his right hand on the back of her head, fingers running through her hair. "Holy shit. You're getting really good at this" he said, his breathing a bit labored.

"I don't mind at all" Reni said with a giggle, licking the head of Edwin's penis like a cat lapping milk. With a grin, she looked over at Mitzi. "Plus, I think she liked this almost as much as I do. She hasn't taken her eyes off us for a second."

"What?" Mitzi had been zoning out, and looking down she realized one hand had been absentmindedly rubbing her crotch while she watched. Guiltily she put her hands back to her sides as Reni chuckled.

"It's fine, Mitzi. It's perfectly natural for you to feel like this." Reni leaned over and took Edwin's penis into her mouth again, bobbing her head up and down quicker this time. Then taking a deep breath, she moved her mouth slowly down the length of his shaft, not quite getting the whole thing into her mouth but making a valiant effort. Edwin moaned louder than ever as he put both hands on the back of her head now, guiding her head up and down.

"I… I think I'm about to come, Reni" Edwin said breathlessly.

Mitzi expected Reni to pull her head away but instead she pushed down harder than ever on Edwin's cock, her nose barely touching his pubic hair. Edwin cried out and let go of Reni's head, his body relaxing as he caught his breath. Reni sat up, a sly smile on her face as she wiped a bit of spunk off her chin. Looking to Mitzi, Reni closed her eyes and smiled. "Can I ask you for a small favor? Would it be too much trouble to get a glass of water?" Feeling completely embarrassed but not knowing what else to do, Mitzi summoned a glass of ice water and passed it wordlessly to Reni, who accepted it gratefully and took a long drink. "Thanks! Helps to clear the throat after all that… So Mitzi, why do you still have your clothes on?"

"What?" Mitzi repeated, not knowing what else to say. After a moment of failing to think of a good excuse she nodded and stood up. "Alright then. Just so we're all even" she conceded, feeling her blush intensify as she began taking off her shirt. Edwin sat up to watch and she could feel both pairs of eyes watching her as she slowly disrobed, finally taking her panties off and dropping them on the floor.

"Wow, I guess you DO have naturally pink hair!" Reni said admiringly as she looked at Mitzi's vagina and put her glass of water on the bedside table. "I'm jealous, it looks so pretty." Reaching out Reni grabbed Edwin's cock again and gave it a few strokes. "I know that Edwin likes it. He feels ready to go again." She leaned in to Edwin's chest and began licking his nipples. "Do you like her, Edwin? Do you think she's pretty? Do you want to fuck her?"

"Yes" Edwin breathed, eyes focused on Mitzi as Reni continued to stroke him.

"Well, I'm sorry Mitzi. You'll have to wait just a little bit longer." With a seductive smile Reni put her arms around Edwin's neck and moved herself into his lap again. Lifting her ass in the air, Reni positioned herself above Edwin's cock. "Are you ready?" she said into his ear in a sultry voice.

Not bothering to respond, Edwin grabbed Reni's hips and pulled her down. His cock buried itself in her dripping pussy in one stroke, and Reni cried out loud as Edwin began thrusting into her. She buried her face into his chest as he began fucking her slowly, then faster and faster as Reni started moving her hips with him. As Reni started moaning louder she started leaning away from Edwin, hands holding on desperately to his neck as he continued to pound at her, one hand moving up to tweak her nipples.

Mitzi sat back down on the chair, feeling the cold wood on her bare flesh. Her breath was quick as she moved one hand down to her pussy, feeling how wet she was. She felt just a bit of shame, why was she getting so turned on by this? However there was no denying it, there was something about watching Edwin have sex with this other girl that simply excited her. Maybe it was the fact that Edwin was going to make love to her after he finished. Maybe it was the contrast of Edwin's pale penis driving into Reni's green vagina, with just a hint of pink around the edges. Whatever it was, Mitzi finally just decided to stop thinking too hard about it for a moment. Slipping two fingers inside her pussy and using her free hand to caress her breast, Mitzi bit her bottom lip to stop herself from moaning out loud as she watched the scene unfold.

Edwin began to slow down a bit, and for a second Mitzi thought he was about to finish. However when he stopped he stood up, pulling Reni off of his erection and then throwing her down on the bed. Mitzi almost cried out as it had seemed a little rough, but Reni only giggled wildly as she looked up at Edwin, her face flushed red. "Well now. What do you want me to do?" she asked, her hands moving up and down her body.

"Turn over" Edwin ordered as he gave his penis slow, easy strokes.

"Well, if you say so" Reni said, flipping over as she reached out and grabbed a pillow. Burying her face in it she raised her ass in the air and shook it invitingly. "Like this?" she asked, innocently.

"Perfect" Edwin replied, a hungry look on his face as he reached out, grabbed Reni's thighs and pulled her to the edge of the bed. "You know, Mitzi does have a nice pussy. You're right. But yours is nice too, I have to admit." Mitzi could clearly see Reni, her vagina shaved clean and bald. The green flesh of her body blended smoothly into a delicate pink right where the folds of her labia began. She couldn't stop watching as Edwin leaned in with his tongue out, licking at Reni's outer lips as she squirmed in appreciation.

After a minute or two Edwin finished, flicking her clitoris with his tongue a few times before standing up and rubbing the head of his dick up and down against Reni's pussy. "Are you sure you're ready?" he teased, sliding the fingers of his free hand up and down her thigh.

Moaning into the pillow, Reni turned her head slowly to look at Edwin, giving him a sultry look. "Please fuck me. I want to feel you inside me again" she said with a pleading tone in her voice.

Grinning triumphantly, Edwin grabbed Reni's hips and thrust into her. "Your wish is my command" he said, his eyes narrowing as he started humping her faster and faster. "You're so agreeable today… does being watched really turn you on that much?" Edwin asked, his grin widening as he let go of Reni's hips and reached down, grabbing her breasts. He leaned in, head coming close to hers. "Your nipples are rock hard too" he said into her ear, nibbling on the tip.

"O-of course they're hard" Reni gasped, hands gripping the pillow tightly with both hands as Edwin continued to pound her. "Y-you're being s-so rough today. I l-love it."

"And that's the only reason?" he asked, running his tongue along the back of Reni's neck as he thrust. "Come on. Tell me the truth. You like being watched."

"W-well…" Reni hesitated, and Mitzi saw that the goblin briefly turned her head looked right at her. "Maybe I do like it a little…"

"A little?!" Edwin asked, incredulous. He grabbed Reni's nipples and pinched them both at once.

"I… I love it!" Reni finally cried, her face flushed a dark green as she bucked back against Edwin. "W-watching her touch herself to us… I'm so horny I can barely think!"

Edwin looked at Reni's face as his pace slowed for a moment, then with increased vigor he picked up the pace, driving his dick in faster. "Reni… you know I can't stand it when a girl blushes like that. You're so fucking cute!"

"W-wait!" Reni yelped, burying her face in the pillow as she gripped it harder. "If you do that I'm… I'm about to-" Mitzi barely made out. Letting go of Reni's breasts, Edwin grabbed her hips and kept thrusting, cutting off her sentence as she cried out in a loud voice, barely muffled by the pillow. Edwin too thrust one final time and cried out himself, and for a moment both were silent and still as Reni's pussy dripped onto the sheets. Then Reni pulled away from Edwin, turning over and flopping down onto her back as her chest rose and fell in labored breathing. "Wow. You were good today."

"Well I'm glad you think so" Edwin said as he sat down on the edge of the bed. Mitzi noticed that while Reni was still recovering her breath Edwin had already gotten his back, and in fact judging by his erection he seemed quite eager to go again.

"You don't have time to be sitting around" Reni chided, sitting up on her elbows. "Just look how ready Mitzi is."

As Edwin looked up at Mitzi she felt her cheeks redden once she realized she still had her fingers buried in her pussy. She hadn't quite been able to bring herself to an orgasm back there. Moving her hands to her sides she avoided Edwin's gaze. While she thought of something to say she saw as Edwin stood up out of the corner of her eye, walked up to her and before she could do anything picked her up in his arms. She finally met his gaze and the two just looked at each other before Edwin leaned in and kissed her gently before walking towards the bed. As Reni moved out of the way Edwin laid Mitzi down, and getting on all fours above her he looked down at her with his grin like a cat with some cornered prey. "What did I just say about blushing girls Mitzi? It drives me crazy."

"That's okay" Mitzi replied, feeling her heart pound as she tried to maintain eye contact. "You… can do whatever you want to me" she said, not quite managing to keep Edwin's gaze the whole time.

Moving his body close to hers Edwin kissed Mitzi passionately, their tongues slowly intertwining with each other, before breaking off the kiss and travelling down her body. As Edwin made it down between her legs he wrapped his arms underneath her legs and lifted her backside off the bed. As he sat up on his knees he gave her pussy a long and slow lick before burying his face in her crotch, hungrily slurping and smacking as his tongue and lips caressed every spot they could reach.

Mitzi bit down on her finger to stop from crying out as Edwin continued, and had to close her eyes in embarrassment when she saw the huge grin on his face as he ate her out. Edwin was infuriatingly licking and kissing everything but her clitoris, making her want to scream out in frustration and pleasure simultaneously.

"Was yesterday your first time having sex?" Reni asked, and when Mitzi looked up she saw the goblin not far from her at all, lying on her stomach with her chin in her hands as she watched Mitzi's face. "You keep looking away and you blush a lot."

"Y-yes" Mitzi managed as she felt Edwin push two fingers inside her and start moving his tongue teasingly around her clitoris.

"You should watch then." Reni reached out and moved some strands of hair from Mitzi's face with a sly smile. "Edwin's working so hard to make you happy. You shouldn't be embarrassed."

Nodding, Mitzi had nothing else to say as she forced herself to look back towards Edwin. Her heart jumped when she saw that he was staring right back at her, face still buried in her crotch. She saw the corners of his mouth turn up in that grin of his, and her whole body shuddered as he finally licked her clit directly. Mitzi didn't look away this time, hands gripping the sheets as hard as she could as Edwin's tongue danced around her most sensitive area. "I'm… I'm about to…" She felt her mind going white again, and when the pressure was too much she finally shut her eyes tight as her whole body trembled violently before going limp.

As her bottom touched the bed again and she could thankfully have a moment to take a quick breather, Mitzi looked up to Edwin and saw him wiping his face with a dry section of the bedsheets. He laughed as he finished, reaching over and taking a sip of the water Mitzi had summoned earlier. "Well, I guess you liked that then huh?" he asked, hands moving up to feel her stomach as Edwin leaned in for another kiss. "Can I still do anything I want to you?" he murmured into her ear.

"Of course" Mitzi breathed, feeling a thrill run down her spine as Edwin got back up on his knees. For a moment Edwin just ran his hands all over her body, his eyes marveling at her as she lay there naked for him.

Suddenly Edwin reached down and grabbed both of Mitzi's ankles. Lifting both straight up in the air he let go and grabbed onto her legs, pulling her close to him. Reaching down Edwin guided the head of his penis to Mitzi's vagina and rubbed it up and down, parting her lips and making Mitzi moan in anticipation. Looking spurred on by her voice Edwin buried half the length of his dick in her in one go. Redoubling his grip, Edwin used her legs as leverage as he started thrusting into her, and before long her hips were bumping against his pelvis as he slammed his full length inside her with every stroke.

"Look at him go!" Reni said excitedly to Mitzi as Edwin continued to pound at her, grunting. "Hey Edwin you must really like fucking Mitzi right?"

"I love it" Edwin responded, his breath only a bit labored. "Making her feel good makes me feel good too." Looking Mitzi in the eye, he grinned. "If I could I'd make you feel good like this all the time." Then Edwin pushed her legs together, wrapping one arm around them as the other groped at her chest. He started fucking her again, and Mitzi could feel her thighs making it tighter around Edwin's cock. As he shifted position slightly and continued pounding her, his free hand playing idly with her nipples, she felt that build up again. Noticing when Mitzi clutched the sheets, Edwin smirked. "Almost there huh? Alright then." Spreading her legs back apart, Edwin once again grabbed one leg with each arm and picked up the pace. His breathing quickened, and for one glorious moment the two were both there on the edge. Then Mitzi felt her body tense up, and as she squeezed Edwin's cock he came inside of her.

Pulling out of Mitzi, Edwin sighed gratefully before dropping Mitzi's legs, which were a bit sore now. As they thumped back down to the bed, Edwin leaned in and kissed her for a long moment, stroking her hair with his free hand. When he finally broke the kiss Edwin leaned over and drained the glass of water before flopping down on the bed. Reaching out he pulled Mitzi close to his right side, and motioning for Reni she joined him on his left side, snuggling in close. "I love you. Both of you."

All three were quiet for few minutes, just basking in the afterglow when Reni interrupted, sitting up straight. "So, are you ready yet Edwin?"

As Edwin also sat up he looked back and forth between the two of them, smiling faintly. "Just give me a minute or two. I'm not exactly a machine here."

Pouting, Reni flopped onto Edwin, finger tracing a line through his chest hair. "Hmph. I don't want to wait." After a moment Reni perked up again, grinning widely at Edwin. "Well. Is there any way we could help? Anything you want us to do?"

Edwin's brow furrowed as he thought, then shook his head. "Well… nevermind. I'll just wait for a minute."

"What is it?" Reni asked, looking intrigued as she leaned in, licking his neck gently. "Just say it."

Looking guiltily at Mitzi, Edwin's face went red. "...Feel free to say no if it's too weird. But I was just thinking… maybe… the two of you could kiss? A little?" Both Mitzi and Reni both went silent, giving Edwin blank looks. He quickly avoided eye contact. "Alright. Nevermind. I-"

"Alright" Reni said, shrugging. "Sure." When she got looks in return she just shrugged to the two of them. "I don't see anything wrong with that. It's not like he's asking us to have sex with each other."

Mitzi felt her face going more red than Edwin's as they both turned to look at her. Taking a deep breath, she actually considered the request. If she was being honest with herself it wasn't the worst thing Edwin could have asked for, but Mitzi had never kissed another girl before. She shyly avoided their gazes. "I-I'm not so sure…"

"Oh it's not that big of a deal" Reni said, her voice breezy and nonchalant. She felt two hands grab her shoulders, and before Mitzi knew what was happening Reni was kissing her.

Breaking the kiss, Mitzi pushed Reni in surprise. "Hey! Don't do that without my permission!"

Sighing, Reni sat up and looked sadly at Mitzi. "I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that this is only your second time. I guess this is all going a little fast for you, huh?" Reni smiled and patted Mitzi on the shoulder. "That's fine. I'll just go first again, ok?" she asked, turning towards Edwin.

Mitzi felt quite annoyed. This goblin was looking down on her just because she had a little more experience in the bedroom. Hardly thinking, Mitzi reached out and grabbed Reni's shoulders with both hands before pushing her down on the bed. She felt satisfied when she saw the surprised look on Reni's face as she looked up at her. "Don't get so cocky" Mitzi said before leaning in and kissing Reni on the lips.

She was mostly doing it just purely for revenge, but now that she was kissing Reni Mitzi had to admit it wasn't that bad. Her lips were softer than Edwin's, and when Reni slipped her tongue into Mitzi's mouth she was a slower, gentler kisser than him as well. She still preferred Edwin admittedly, but this was by no means bad. As her breasts rubbed against Reni's, Mitzi accidentally let out a moan as their nipples brushed against each other.

Feeling something at the entrance to her vagina, Mitzi looked behind her to see Edwin kneeling there and poking the head of his cock into her folds. His dick was rock hard again, throbbing gently in his hand. "You two are so fucking hot right now. I'm sorry, I can't wait any more." True to his word Edwin thrust right into Mitzi, making her gasp out loud as he started to fuck her.

It was a curious sensation as Mitzi rocked back and forth on top of Reni, having nowhere to look but into Reni's eyes. The goblin looked surprised at first, then giggled as she ran a hand through Mitzi's hair. "He's insatiable today, isn't he? Couldn't even wait until-ahh!" Reni cried out suddenly, her eyes shutting tight. Glancing around she could see one of Edwin's hands down towards Reni's crotch, thrusting in and out as his other hand gripped Mitzi's waist for support. Reni just wrapped her arms around Mitzi and moaned.

After a few minutes of Edwin pounding her Mitzi felt him pull out suddenly. Before Mitzi knew what was happening Reni gasped and let her go, letting out little moans as Edwin's lovemaking rocked her back and forth. It was Mitzi's turn now to grab Reni when Edwin slipped three fingers inside her, gently flicking at her clitoris with his pinky. As Edwin continued to fuck Reni, Mitzi found herself letting go of the goblin and the two met each other's' gaze again. There was a needy look in Reni's eye, and before Mitzi knew what was happening Reni was kissing her again, wrapping her arms around her neck. Mitzi was surprised but didn't pull away, abandoning reason as she kissed Reni back.

It was right when Reni finally broke the kiss, moaning out loud, that Edwin switched, plunging his penis back into Mitzi with hardly a moment's pause. Mitzi felt her own breathing speeding up now, and before she could grab the sheets she felt Reni grabbing her hands, linking their fingers together. "I'm so close" Reni managed, sounding out of breath. "L-let's all come together!"

Nodding, Mitzi closed her eyes as she felt the orgasm building up. Edwin's hand moved from her hip to her shoulder and suddenly he started fucking her harder than ever, pulling her whole body back onto his cock every time he nearly pulled out. It was too much for her, and Edwin's hand thumbing her clitoris finally sent her over the edge again. Mitzi pulled close to Reni, feeling the goblin's body tense up and shudder as she came as well. Finally with one last thrust, Mitzi felt Edwin ejaculate inside her, filling her to bursting with his seed.

For a long moment they all remained motionless, heavy breathing the only noise. Then Edwin pulled out of Mitzi with a satisfied sigh and flopped down on the bed. "Wow. You two. Are the best."

Mitzi rolled off of Reni, letting go of her hands with a hint of embarrassment, and smacked Edwin in the face. "You jerk! You couldn't just wait until I got off Reni?"

Grinning apologetically, Edwin held his hands up to calm her. "I'm sorry! I know I don't look it but I really am! I thought I would like it watching you two kiss but… well. I wasn't lying. It was really hot."

Frowning back at him, Mitzi folded her arms. "You don't sound sorry either."

"Don't I?" Edwin asked innocently, before reaching out and pulling Mitzi into his arms. Leaning down her kissed her, and though she considered staying angry with him Mitzi ended up kissing Edwin back. When he broke the kiss Reni turned his head towards her and kissed him as well, their tongues leaving a trail of spit connecting them when they finally pulled apart. As Edwin settled back into the bed, Mitzi to his left this time, Reni once again took the other side and happily snuggled in. "I meant what I said earlier. I really do love both of you."

"Same here" Reni chimed in after a moment of thought, pulling the blanket over all three of them before settling back down. "I think I love both of you."

Feeling that blush rise to her cheeks, Mitzi looked away from Reni's teasing look to Edwin's smiling face. The truth was she didn't know how she felt about Reni exactly. In just one day their relationship had completely turned around. After a long expectant silence Mitzi finally spoke. "I love you too, Edwin. And Reni…" she paused again, looking at the goblin. She didn't want to respond with 'I love you' in kind if she didn't mean it. Instead, she just said what was on her mind. "...I'm glad I don't regret asking you to join us."

That seemed to be enough for Reni, who smiled as she reached out and took Mitzi's hand for a moment, her eyes shining with suppressed tears

When they finally let go and both squirmed in closer to Edwin for the warmth, a few minutes of peaceful rest had gone by when Mitzi started to get the feeling that they had forgotten something. Wracking her brain, she finally remembered what it was a moment too late.

The door flew open and Mary stepped right in the room, tying off her apron. "Edwin, are you staying for dinn-AHHH!" she screamed, her hands flying up to her mouth as she finally registered what was going on.

Thankfully Mitzi was actually covered up this time so she only had to hide her face in embarrassment, but she saw Reni waving out of the corner of her eye. "Hello Mary!"

"Hello Reni" Mary said absentmindedly, looking directly at Edwin. "Edwin" she said severely, not smiling. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"Uh no, I have some important meetings in Dalaran. I-" Edwin began, looking nervous.

"Let me rephrase that. You WILL be staying for dinner. And you WILL be having a talk with me before said dinner." Mary's eyes were unblinking as she folded her arms and waited for a response.

"Well, the Legion is attacking mom. We have no idea if-"

"If you don't show up to dinner, I promise that you will be WAY more afraid of me than any demon" Mary hissed, making Edwin's shoulders slump in defeat. Taking a deep breath she smiled to Mitzi and Reni. "Well, we're going to have pork chops and some vegetables we grew for dinner, and I'm making a cherry pie. Do you two have any preferences?"

Mitzi couldn't quite meet Mary's eye. "N-no, I'm fine."

"Pork chops and pie. Sounds good" Reni agreed, nodding.

"Good. Well then. I'll see you before dinner then, Edwin" Mary said with finality, pulling the door closed. "At least things turned out ok…" Mary said offhandedly as it shut.

As Mizi and Reni looked to the suddenly gloomy Edwin, Reni patted him encouragingly on the shoulder. "Hey, look on the bright side. She's not going to yell at me and Mitzi at least?" Reni giggled as Edwin gave her a light shove, and not even Mitzi could help but smile.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when Mitzi stepped out of the portal and into Dalaran again. Since this was the city of mages nobody even seemed to bat an eye as they walked past. Reni and Edwin stepped through behind her as Mitzi let the portal shut, cutting the magic off. They were all standing in a breezeway between the city proper and Krasus' Landing, a large platform where people kept their mounts. "Come on" Mitzi said, leading the way.

Thankfully dinner had ended up being much easier than expected. Mary's talk with Edwin hadn't lasted more than ten minutes, though he was rather silent for a few minutes after the two of them returned. Besides that they had all shared a good meal, had some nice conversation and left. Mitzi had expected some sort of talk with Mary about the… incident, but even though Mary looked at her and Reni with meaningful looks from time to time she never actually broached the subject. Mitzi was grateful, one day she would discuss their particular situation with Mary but she hadn't been looking forward to that day being today.

They finally came to their destination, the apartment building she lived in. The rooms inside were rented out free of charge to female members of the Kirin Tor, in fact Biyu even lived right next to her since the Pandaren was her apprentice. Originally she had thought about returning to the Hall of the Guardian to inform her fellow members of the Tirisgarde, but had decided to start with her fellow housemates first. Mitzi could only imagine that Biyu was going crazy. "You know you two don't have to come with me" Mitzi said, looking over her shoulder to Reni and Edwin.

"Well I am kind of responsible for you being gone, I should explain" Reni said, looking a little uncomfortable at being reminded.

"I just want to see where you live!" Edwin chimed in cheerily.

Not knowing what she expected, Mitzi sighed and nodded. "Alright, fine. Come on."

As they entered through the front door, the mat magically absorbing the dirt off their feet, it only took a second for someone to rush around the corner. "Who's there?" came a voice right before Mollie, a human girl of around sixteen ran into sight, scowling at all of them before focusing on Mitzi. "Mitzi!" she cried, running up and hugging her desperately before speaking quickly. "Oh my god we were all so worried about you! We heard a couple of psychos took you! Actually we have some of them in the waiting room and Archmage Kalec is talking to them now! Is that the guy Biyu's gonna punch?" Mollie finished, pointing at Edwin.

"Calm down a second" Mitzi said, hugging the girl back briefly before pulling her to arms length. "What do you mean you have some in the waiting room?"

"Those guys that took you! All three of them showed up with a letter from you saying you were coming soon, and the Archmage asked them to wait until you actually DID show back up." Mollie began to pull Mitzi along, heading towards the waiting room as she continued to almost completely ignore Reni and Edwin. "Come on!"

Deciding it would just be best to go along with it, Mitzi allowed herself to be dragged along as Edwin and Reni followed behind. They quickly came to the waiting room, which was mostly used as a reading room by the girls of this house, as Mollie took her leave. However right now the room was living up to its name and they could see five people all seated around the place, who looked up as they arrived. Grosh, Qiju and Jenus were all sitting near the middle, all three looking bored rather than nervous. Biyu, who was one of the eight, sprang up when she saw Mitzi and rushed over, scooping her up in a hug. "Oh Mitzi! I mean master! I was so worried about you! Don't ever do that to me again!"

"Hello everyone" Edwin waved as he and Reni entered the room behind Mitzi.

Biyu froze, and then slowly put Mitzi down on the ground. Then, without warning, she whirled around and drove her fist into Edwin's gut as hard as she could. Edwin's leather armor seemed to soften the blow but he still staggered backwards, clearly winded. "You piece of shit" Biyu growled, advancing on him with her fist raised. "Had your goons kidnap my friend, huh? I'll show you…"

Before Mitzi or anyone else for that matter could act, a thin wall of ice appeared between the two of them. Mitzi was grateful for that as she saw Reni slowly putting a knife back into her belt, glaring at Biyu. One of the figures, a man with blue hair, stood up. "Apprentice Biyu. That is enough" he said in a warning tone of voice before making the ice disappear with a wave of his hand. He cleared his throat, and motioned to three empty chairs. "Please, why don't you join us?" he waited until everyone was seated before nodding and continuing. "Excellent. It looks like your friends here were not lying. Well then. First things first. I am Archmage Kalec, one of the leaders of the Tirisgarde. I will be performing a small inquiry due to the events of the last few days. So, to that effect, I will have all the people gathered here tell me a summary of events from their point of view. Than I shall determine the best course of action to take. Agreed?" he asked, looking towards Edwin's group. They all nodded a bit skeptically.

Thus the next hour was spent with the long and arduous process of everyone recounting the events of the last two days. Archmage Kalec was tedious, asking questions to even people like Biyu who ended up not knowing much at all besides the fact that Mitzi was gone. Finally he ended with Mitzi herself, having her laboriously recall the entire adventure before he fell silent at last, thinking.

Finally Kalec leaned forward, putting his nose on his steepled fingers. "One last question then, Mitzi. Do you think these people deserve punishment for what they put you through?" he asked, his question direct and blunt.

Thinking honestly about it, Mitzi tried to think if she even hated these people at all. Looking to Grosh and Qiju, she couldn't even seem to muster up any sort of anger towards them. True they had kidnapped her but really in the end they hadn't hurt her, and if she thought about it this situation was really what had helped her and Edwin get together. "No. Not at all. I actually had fun" she admitted with a smile, taking Edwin's hand as he smiled back.

As Biyu's mouth fell open in surprise Archmage Kalec looked shocked, glancing back and forth between Mitzi and Edwin. "Oh. I… I see." he said simply, clearing his throat. "I see. Well, if you say so then it sounds to me like no action is necessary… congratulations, you two." Kalec reached out a hand to shake Edwin's.

"Three" Reni said, grabbing Kalec's hand and shaking it.

Archmage Kalec just looked at Reni for a long moment, not understanding. Then suddenly his face turned almost completely red. "Oh. Yes" he mumbled. "Um. Very good then. Well. If everything is alright then I will be going." The Archmage left the room quickly after a quick round of goodbyes, not quite meeting Reni's gaze again.

Biyu laughed out loud, her good nature mostly back now that she knew the truth. "Well, I've never even seen him get embarrassed let alone blush!" Looking around the room, her smile died a bit as she saw Edwin's smiling face looking back at her. "Um, I really am sorry for punching you back there" Biyu added, scratching the back of her head.

"It's no big deal" said Edwin dismissively, though Mitzi noticed that he tenderly gave his stomach a rub and winced in pain. "I'm just glad Mitzi has a friend that'll stand up for her like that."

"Oh, you're sweet!" Biyu giggled. Mitzi was a bit annoyed that she seemed to so easily drop the subject.

"Anyhow" Jenus said, standing up with a bit of an annoyed expression on his face. "I think I'd better go. I have a report to make, and I've been kept here all day now." He turned to Mitzi, his face softening as he bowed low. "Mitzi. I am very sorry for putting you through any sort of hardship." His eyes darted to Reni and then back to her. "I am glad that things seemed to work out well however." Mitzi felt her cheeks redden. She wished that Reni would have just kept her mouth shut.

As Jenus began to leave, Qiju starting after him with only a wave to the group, Grosh stood up and walked to Edwin who was still sitting calmly in his chair. It was only now Mitzi noticed that Grosh's hands were balled up into fists. "Edwin" he said simply, glaring down at him.

"Uh… something wrong, buddy?" Edwin asked, looking uncertain.

"How did you know about my sister?" Grosh demanded, his teeth clenched in anger. His voice was nice and calm but Mitzi was sure he was about to explode.

It took a second for Edwin to realize what he was talking about. "Oh… you mean when I said it during the whole Mitzi thing" he said as he nodded. He avoided Grosh's gaze as he looked to the ground. "It's really not that big a deal."

Grabbing Edwin by the collar Grosh lifted him out of the chair. Everyone scrambled to their feet around the room but Grosh didn't even seem to notice. "I have never told any of you about my sister. HOW do you know about her?"

Scratching the back of his head, Edwin looked almost unconcerned as he avoided Grosh's gaze again. "Man… this is really awkward. Well, the truth is that you actually did tell us."

Grosh just stared back at Edwin, the anger still clear in his eyes though it seemed a bit tempered now. "No, I just said. I've never told you lot about her!"

As Edwin snorted with laughter Grosh looked like he was about to punch Edwin, so he quickly elaborated. "Ok, ok. You remember one of the first nights we stayed in Pandaria, when we were at Honeydew Village?"

"Yeah" Grosh confirmed, looking a bit less certain now.

"That old Pandaren had that fruit wine, and you said it was stuff for gays so you ended up drinking like four bottles of it." Smiling like he was remembering a fond memory, he looked to Qiju. "Remember Qiju? We had to drag him to the inn and let him sleep out back."

The troll laughed out loud, slapping his knee. "I 'member dat! You shit your pants!" The troll howled with laughter, clutching his sides in mirth.

Grosh turned back to Edwin furiously, his face blushing a dark green as he tried to ignore Qiju. "What does that prove about my sister?!"

"...Well, you pretty much talked about her the whole time. To be honest you wouldn't shut up about her."

"I…" Grosh tried one more time to regroup. "Prove it then. I never talk about my sister."

Edwin shrugged, looking a bit exasperated. "Fine. She works in a weapon shop in Orgrimmar. You said that she cuts her hair way too short, and that's why she's never going to find a man. You said that all the other orcs you talked to think she's a dyke, and it doesn't help that she really likes leather a lot. You said that if she would just settle down already you could go out there and find some girl who would finally-"

"Ok!" Grosh cried, stopping Edwin mid-speech and dropping him to the floor. "Fine, ok?! You win!"

Taking a deep grateful breath now that he could breathe right, Edwin's face set in a firm line as he looked Grosh in the eye. "I am sorry I used that against you though. That was wrong of me. But please believe me in the future, I would never hurt your sister." Reaching out a hand, Edwin grinned. "Why don't we just call it all even, ok?"

Looking rather unhappy with everyone staring at him, Grosh shook Edwin's hand as quickly as possible. "Fine, ok. Whatever. I'm going outside." Qiju, still snorting with laughter, followed behind with one last wave to the room.

Waving at Qiju and Grosh's retreating back, Edwin chuckled. "He really does try too hard sometimes."

Finally, the only ones left were Mitzi, Reni, Edwin and Biyu. Mitzi looked to Biyu with a smile. "Well, I've been gone all day. Did anything important happen?"

Shaking her head, Biyu waved away those concerns with one hand. "No, no. Don't worry. I took care of everything. Why don't you guys go and get some sleep?" Biyu pointed at Reni, who was still in her chair. "I think you have a man down."

As Edwin and Mitzi looked, they could see that Reni had completely passed out. She was slumped over, head resting against the edge of her chair as she snored gently. Edwin walked over, and with some small difficulty managed to pick her up. Reni mumbled, but didn't seem to waken as she curled closer to Edwin's chest. "I don't think she slept last night at all. And on that note I guess I'd better head home myself. I need to get to bed." For a moment Edwin turned away from her, and Mitzi had the sudden idea that he was going to leave her behind. Instead he reached out and shook Biyu's hand. "It's nice meeting you again. We should all get lunch soon!"

"Indeed." Biyu smiled back, and leaned in. "I am sorry for punching you. But if you ever break Mitzi's heart I will beat the shit out of you, ok?"

Mitzi was sure that Edwin would flinch or at least react somehow, but he just grinned back. "So I have nothing to worry about."

Laughing, Biyu clapped Edwin on the shoulder. "You're all right. Good night, you two." Biyu let go and hugged Mitzi again. "I'm so glad you're safe. I was serious, please don't make me nervous like that again." Leaning in close to Mitzi's ear, Biyu spoke the next part in a whisper. "Oh, and you have to tell me every last detail about what happened with you three, ok?" With that, she smiled at Mitzi as she stood up and left the room.

Feeling a bit awkward now, Mitzi drew a circle on the ground with her toe as she glanced towards Edwin. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

"Oh…" Edwin looked clearly disappointed. "Well the bed at my place isn't huge but it can fit all three of us nicely… do you want to come sleep there? It'll actually be sleep, I promise!"

As Mitzi nodded she tried to not look too enthusiastic about it. "If you insist" she said, following alongside Edwin as he carried Reni in his arms.


	3. Sabine

Mitzi found herself quite annoyed as she stared out at the rain. It came down in crashing waves, limiting her vision to only a about twenty yards or so. Not that there was much to see around here anyway, even without the rain there wasn't much out there but trees, and Mitzi highly doubted that even the Withered would be wandering around in a storm this bad. Unfortunately Edwin and Reni were still out there, so as much as she wanted to go and make a hot cup of tea she waited for them, eyes moving back and forth as she looked for movement. With a sigh she settled her chin down on her folded arms. This was nothing like what she had imagined going out on missions with Edwin to be like.

Of course that wasn't the only reason she was upset. Only days after the three of them had returned to Dalaran, a strange purple bubble appeared contained a message from a rebel faction of the Nightborne Elves who dwelled in Suramar, requesting aid urgently. Archmage Khadgar had sent for a number of champions to assist with the efforts, and of course Edwin and his group had been among those called to action first. Mitzi had volunteered with the Tirisgarde to assist in the efforts as well, but unfortunately she was rather low on the totem pole in her organization and the wielders of the artifacts had been sent instead. That of course meant that she was separated from Edwin for well over six weeks as the campaign in Suramar dragged on, as she spent her time teaching Biyu and going on a few missions herself.

Then just a few days ago Mitzi had received some news from Archmage Kalec. Edwin's group had run into a few narrow escapes, so they had requested the help of a mage in case an emergency evacuation was necessary. Kalec had approved both Mitzi and Biyu to assist the band of mercenaries in their efforts, and Mitzi had practically run back to her room to tell Biyu. She had thought, if nothing else, it would be an exciting adventure.

The truth ended up being rather disappointing. It turned out that Edwin's group was not joking when they said 'emergency evacuation'. For the past two days, Mitzi and Biyu hadn't done anything more strenuous than simply keeping up with Edwin's group, which was easier than it sounded. Mostly their job was to follow behind Edwin's group, and then stay out of the way once the forward scout would find targets. One member would stay behind to ensure their safety while the rest of the four would slink off and make short work out of their prey. Yesterday in particular had been awful, they had all gone into some dank ruins where some horrible half-elf half-spiders lived. It had bothered her even more when she was clearly the one most bothered by the spider webs, and Edwin hardly noticed as he focused on the job at hand.

Groaning with annoyance, Mitzi turned away from the window for a moment. It's not like she didn't understand. Of course he didn't just pay attention to her constantly, the world was literally under attack by demons. But it didn't stop the fact that it bothered her. Then there was the fact that they hadn't had sex since Edwin left. Mitzi had tried something two nights ago, rubbing his back and kissing his neck while the three of them shared a tent, but Edwin for the first time had told her that he was too tired before passing out minutes later. Even Reni had fallen right to sleep, hardly even saying a word as she curled up next to Edwin. That had just made her feel even worse, almost like her even being here was a bother. She knew Edwin didn't intend it that way at all, but it didn't help her get to sleep faster.

Then there was today, which certainly didn't help her feel any better. They were currently undergoing a mission for the Nightfallen, namely a scheme to steal a large shipment of arcwine that was coming into the city. It was intended to go to House Duskmere, however if all went according to plan they would not only steal the wine, but possibly frame one of the other noble houses to cause a bit of infighting. The one problem was they weren't sure exactly where and when it was showing up, just that it was early tomorrow morning. So in order to find out the details, Edwin's group had split up. Edwin, Reni and Mitzi were all sent in one direction while Jenus, Grosh, Qiju and Biyu all went the other. Both groups had the same simple plan: go and find out more details. They would approach the city from two different ways and try to either interrogate some guards or find some info at the docks where the shipment would likely come in.

That was fine and all, but then the reality of the mission had been explained to her by Edwin and Reni. Namely, she was not sneaky. Even with her invisibility spell, she had proven a number of times in these past two days that she was absolutely no good at staying quiet. The most embarrassing moment was yesterday, when they had been leaving the cave with the terrible spider creatures. Everyone had been on high alert, moving slowly out of the cave as they moved from hiding point to hiding point, and then just when they saw the mouth of the cave Mitzi had stepped on an old brittle skull. The noise seemed to alert every creature in earshot, and suddenly they were all running, barely making it out without another fight. Of course nobody had blamed her for anything, in fact everyone had been very nice to her after and telling her not to worry, but it didn't really help.

So the result of all this was that Mitzi was staying behind in this abandoned house not far from Suramar while Edwin and Reni snuck inside. Mitzi had argued quite loudly that this plan invalidated the whole purpose of bringing her along in the first place, but Edwin had been quite firm in his response. "Look, Reni and I are going to be moving quickly. We may even have to separate depending on the situation. That and I can't exactly see where you are when you make yourself invisible. It's just going to be easier if you wait here. We have hearthstones if things go badly, and it'll help me focus. I really am sorry. We'll try to be back before the storm hits. If we're not back in four hours then teleport to Dalaran and wait for us." That had been a little over two hours ago. The storm had blown in much quicker than expected, only about a half hour after the two of them had left, and now there was nothing else to do but to hope for their swift return.

Nearly three hours had passed when Mitzi finally saw the faint cloaked shape of a figure moving her way. For a moment she froze in fear, it looked too bulky to be Edwin. However a much shorter figure also came into focus, quickly catching up alongside the first as they made their way to the house. Even though this second figure was also shrouded in a cloak Mitzi was positive it was Reni. Mitzi got up quickly, noticing that the figure she assumed was Edwin was carrying something struggling on his back, and ran down the stairs to meet them.

Mitzi was just making it to the bottom step when the door was kicked open as Edwin and Reni rushed inside, shutting it quickly behind them and panting as they removed their hoods. She could see that Edwin was indeed carrying what looked like a humanoid figure on his back wrapped in another cloak, and it was struggling wildly as he marched over to a large and dusty couch. With a grunt he dropped it down, and after another struggle the figure finally managed to shake off the cloak's hood. A Nightborne Elf glared around at the room with her white glowing eyes, face red with fury as she screamed into her gag.

"Hey Mitzi" Edwin said almost lazily as he gave her a quick wave. Taking off his cloak with a sigh he dropped it on the ground and flopped gratefully into a dusty armchair. It creaked dangerously but stayed intact as Edwin closed his eyes and rested his head.

"Don't 'hey Mitzi' me, aren't you going to explain what's going on here?" Mitzi demanded, crossing her arms. "I thought you went in there to find out some info, not kidnap someone!"

"Things got out of hand kind of quickly" Reni explained as she removed her own cloak and picked Edwin's off the floor. "This elf here is one of the guards at Lord Duskmere's manor. She had just got off her shift and left, so we slipped in behind her. Then she suddenly came back. I think she just forgot something, but regardless she blew our cover. We ended up knocking her out to stop her calling the guards but by the time we got her out of the way they had found the back door unlocked and they locked the whole place down tight. We decided to take her with us to find out what she knows."

Feeling upset at this drastic change to the plan, Mitzi scowled at Reni. "Isn't that a stupid idea? They're going to know she's gone now!"

Edwin sighed again as he sat up in his chair, rubbing his temples. "Look it might not have been the best idea. But I think they're not going to find out she's missing until after the shipment at least. Her shift was over and she was going home, so if we're lucky we have at least eight hours or so."

"Yeah, if we're lucky!" Mitzi called back, feeling angrier by the second. "I should have gone with you. I didn't know you two would make such… a stupid decision!"

Both Edwin and Reni looked at her, frowning. "I don't think that's fair, Mitzi. We had to make some snap decisions. Everything happened so fast, we barely had time to get-" Reni started.

Throwing her hands in the air, Mitzi walked back towards the stairs. "Fine! I'm wrong! Then you two enjoy interrogating your prisoner, I'm going upstairs!"

Feeling angry at both Edwin and herself, Mitzi went up to the second floor and into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her. One of the hinges on the ancient door broke and it swung awkwardly in its frame. She walked to the wooden bed in the corner and tested it lightly. It seemed like it would hold her weight. Casting a minor spell, she cleaned the excessive dust off the bed's surface before flopping down and staring up at the ceiling. She didn't even want to think about any of this right now.

Almost in response to her thoughts the door opened up and Reni came into the room, leaving the door opened a crack as it no longer closed all the way. "Hey. Can I come in?" she asked, walking up to the bed and sitting down.

Mitzi didn't look towards Reni as she stared at the ceiling. "You're supposed to wait for an answer you know."

Reaching out, Reni gently patted Mitzi's shoulder. "You look like you want to talk about it. Why don't you tell me what's bothering you exactly?"

Feeling a bit patronized, Mitzi shrugged away Reni's hand and turned away from her to look at the wall. They both sat there in silence for a few minutes as Mitzi waited for Reni to get bored and leave, but that never ended up happening. Finally Mitzi sighed and looked back at the ceiling, where she could see Reni out of the corner of her eye. "I just… don't know why I'm here. I feel so useless. Even Biyu hasn't screwed up as much as I have and she's my apprentice."

Scowling, Reni gave Mitzi a light punch on the shoulder. "Don't talk like that. Just because you stayed here doesn't mean you're not valuable."

"Yeah, right. You two basically took care of everything yourselves. What exactly did I do? And even with these last couple of days, I was just more harm than good." Mitzi knew she was acting immature but she really did want to just feel sorry for herself right now.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Reni settled down on the bed, laying next to Mitzi as she stared at the ceiling. "Look, the fact is that we might not need you on nine out of ten missions. That's true. We just don't go on the kind of missions where we need a bunch of magical firepower. But on that remaining mission? We could really use help. You know that we've been out here over six weeks, right?"

"Well… yes. Of course." Mitzi felt the anger inside her die a little bit as she remembered that fact. After just a couple days out here it was easy to forget how much longer everyone else had been doing the same thing.

"That means we've been out here a little over forty-five days. Probably forty-two, maybe forty-three days things have gone pretty smoothly. But we can't be on top of things all the time. That means we've had two really close calls. If you had been there those times I know we would have all felt a lot safer. So listen I know you feel like you're not doing much right now, but trust me, you just being here has really helped us all focus. We can breathe a little easier knowing that you're ready to get us out if things go badly. Plus on top of everything else, you ARE learning. After a couple more missions with us it'll be much easier to keep up once you know how we operate." Reni turned on her side and gave Mitzi a friendly smile. "So for everyone else I just want to say thank you."

Feeling a light blush, Mitzi looked away from Reni as she tried not to smile back. "Well, at least you're grateful I'm here. Edwin hardly seems to care."

Reni sat up in the bed, glaring down at Mitzi. "What is wrong with you? Why are you acting like such a sad sack? Of course Edwin cares that you're here, why would you even say that?"

"Well he seems more… annoyed than excited sometimes. Like when he left me behind today, he didn't even consider bringing me. And…" Mitzi sat up, hesitating before speaking her mind. "...well he hasn't even tried… doing anything to me at all since I got here."

The expression on Reni's face changed from annoyed to incredulous. "Oh. Is that what this is about? What, do you think he suddenly doesn't find you attractive or something?" Reni giggled, making Mitzi fume in rage.

"It's not funny. I haven't even seen him in six weeks and he acts like he hardly cares, and meanwhile you two have been out here and… and…" Mitzi trailed off as she screwed her face up and buried it in her knees.

Still smiling infuriatingly, Reni hugged her knees. "Do you want to know how many times Edwin and I have had sex out here? Since we left Dalaran?" Without waiting for Mitzi to reply, Reni held up one finger. "Once. It was the third night we were here. We just had to steal some things that day and make contacts, so we actually went to bed at a decent hour and were able to squeeze in a session. But most days Edwin has been working really hard. Or… to be frank, killing people. Do you know what happened a week before you showed up? It was one of those days I was talking about where we could have used you. We were cornered by a few guards and had to fight our way out. Edwin killed more than twenty guards himself, cut them down without mercy when we fled. He may have killed more, after all the Kingslayers do leave a lethal poison behind. And that was just one encounter. So, I do understand your frustration. Believe me. But I think he has some stress about all this built up. I think it's reasonable that he needs some time."

Mitzi couldn't help but feel terrible as she kept her face pressed into her knees. "I know. I know that. I know I'm being stupid. I just wish I could help more. You two even have hearthstones, so it's not like you really even need me for a portal."

Reni an arm around her shoulder and rubbed her arm gently. "Look, it's not just you being an escape route that's helping. I know he hasn't said it much yet but Edwin's really glad you're here. He wasn't really sleeping well, but as soon as you were here with us he started falling asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. I think you just being here is helping him a lot."

They stayed like that for a minute until Mitzi finally sighed and sat up properly. "Thanks Reni. I'm sorry I blew up down there."

"Don't worry about it, it's not like Edwin's completely idiot. You come all the way out here to help us out and he doesn't even take five minutes to make you feel special. I'm sorry too Mitzi, I'm going to to go down there and give him a piece of my mind." Reni got up off the bed and started towards the door, a scowl on her face,

"Wait, wait!" Mitzi got up off the bed and rushed over, grabbing Reni by the shoulder to stop her. "Look, I appreciate you getting angry for me but I don't think that's the best way to handle the situation. Yelling at him won't help anyone and besides, you have to be pretty stressed too right? There has to be a better way." Seeing Reni getting that upset for her had managed to make Mitzi smile, and she pulled the goblin in for a hug. "Thank you for talking to me though."

Reni smiled back and hugged Mitzi gently. After a moment they drew apart, both feeling a bit embarrassed as Reni cleared her throat. "Anyway. Edwin is making a fire. We're going to wait to heat up a bit and let our hostage tire herself out before we start asking questions. Want to come down? We were going to make some food."

"How can you really think about eating right now?" Mitzi felt slightly annoyed again. "Shouldn't we be going back to Shal'Aran? We can leave the interrogating to the Nightfallen."

Shaking her head, Reni pointed out the window. "You know how hard it was getting her here through the rain while she was struggling? Do you think Edwin can really carry her all the way back?" She sighed, scratching her head as she looked out at the storm crashing down in waves. "I really wish we had our mounts. Maybe we could make it if we'd brought them. But we made a choice in favor of stealth, we have to live with it. As it stands, we think the best bet is to just wait until the storm at least dies down a bit. Even if we teleported to Dalaran we still couldn't exactly fly back in this weather. However if things aren't better by midnight or so, we might have to try it anyway. We do have a ticking clock after all. That's why we need to question her now. If we get back late because of all this we can still give them the information."

Though she hated to admit it, Mitzi could see their point. With a sigh she let go of her frustration for the moment. "Alright. Fine. Let's just go downstairs and see Edwin. I wouldn't mind eating I suppose."

"Great, come on then!" Reni made for the door again, but Mizi caught her elbow to keep her in place. One last thing was bothering her.

"One second. I have one more thing to ask. When you said question her… do you mean actually ask her questions? Or…" Mitzi left the question hanging in midair, not knowing exactly how to phrase it. 'Are you going to torture her?' was what she was going to ask, though she couldn't quite manage it.

"Don't worry." Reni patted Mitzi on the shoulder. "I don't think it's going to get that way. Edwin's probably going to threaten her a bit, true, but he's not going to do anything crazy with you around."

Mitzi smiled back, a bit uncertain. She hadn't denied that they would torture the elf, just said they were going to try not to. Feeling more than a bit apprehensive about all this, Mitzi followed Reni downstairs.

The first thing Mitzi saw was Edwin, sitting cross-legged in front of the fireplace and slowly feeding wood to the flame inside. The elf was still on the couch, though her wet cloak had been removed and hung to dry. Mitzi could see that the elf was gagged, and bound by her hands and feet. She was clad in a light blue short-sleeved shirt and a pair of pants, with some dark blue leather boots. Mitzi had to admit that despite everything she was quite beautiful, if she wasn't tied up and angry she would look quite striking. Even as she watched the elf was rocking back and forth, straining against her restraints and letting out muffled screams of rage. Edwin stood up when they entered the room, completely ignoring the elf. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Hey. Um… I'm sorry Mitzi. I know we kind of screwed up here."

There was a moment where Mitzi wanted to stay mad with him, but Edwin looked so sad that she just couldn't. Closing the distance between them she gave Edwin a quick hug. "It's alright, Edwin. I know you're doing your best. I'm sorry too, I just got a little upset."

The relief on Edwin's face was immediate as he hugged her back. "It's no problem. I know that things must be frustrating for you too." The moment would have been much better for Mitzi had the elf not been struggling on the couch but it still wasn't bad as they held each other. Finally Edwin let her go, grinning at her and Reni. "Anyhow, I found enough dry wood to start a fire. I'm gonna dry off a bit and make some food."

The next hour or so was spent in relative peace as Edwin prepared a hot dinner of sausage and chopped vegetables. It wasn't anything near as good as something Mary would make, but Mitzi had to admit it wasn't bad at all, and managed to warm her up nicely. The elf had finally calmed down, seemingly out of exhaustion, and was now just glaring at them as they ate. Her constant stares were starting to get uncomfortable, and Mitzi looked to Edwin once she had finished eating she looked to the remaining food left behind in the iron pan. "Um… should we offer… her any food?" she asked, unsure.

Both Edwin and Reni looked at the elf, as if remembering she was in the room for the first time since dinner began. "Hmm. I dunno" Reni said, sounding unconcerned as she took a swig from a flask at her side. "She's probably just going to turn down whatever we give her, so I don't see what the point is."

Frowning, Mitzi looked at Edwin for his opinion. "Well, I'm not against giving her food but frankly Reni's right." Seeing Mitzi's uncomfortable expression at his words made him sigh and stand up. "...But I guess we should try." Walking up to the elf, who tried flinching away from him as he approached, Edwin reached out and untied the gag around the elf's mouth. "Well? Do you want some food?"

Edwin suddenly dodged to the side, and Mitzi had a moment of confusion until a glob of spit hit the ground with a soft 'pap'. "You can go to hell human. You and these two stunted lackeys. I will NEVER accept assistance from you or help you i-" The elf began to rant, her speech cut off suddenly when Edwin reached down and roughly reapplied the gag.

"Well, I tried." Edwin looked almost completely unconcerned as he sat back down and finished off his food. "If you can act a bit civil next time maybe I'll keep the gag off for more than a couple of seconds" Edwin said over his shoulder. The elf looked completely livid again, thrashing furiously against her bonds and screaming into her gag.

It was nearly an hour later, around 9 or 10pm by Mitzi's guess, and the rain still had no signs of letting up. The three of them had decided to play a game of cards while they waited, the fire still burning softly as they started playing poker and eventually moved to the much less mentally taxing game of go fish. The elf had long since calmed down, and Mitzi was a bit amused to see that she kept sneaking glances at their card game when she thought they weren't looking.

It was right when Edwin lost another round of cards that he stood up, cracking his back. "Alright. I guess we should give this another go." Before Mitzi had a chance to wonder what he was talking about, he walked over and untied the gag from the elf's face again. "You spit at me and I put this back on. Now, are you willing to talk this time?"

"I don't suppose I have much choice." The elf looked resigned, still quite angry with them but she had clearly accepted the reality of her situation. "Well? For what reason were you breaking into Lord Duskmere's home?"

"We're asking the questions here sister" Reni shot back, pulling a chair up and sitting down. "We came to find out one things from you. Where and when is this arcwine shipment tomorrow morning?"

The elf smirked. "I should have known. Of course. You're working with the rebels aren't you? Those pitiful creatures we expelled from Suramar and who now desperately cling to life correct?"

"That arcwine would really help a lot of people who are suffering from withdrawals." Edwin frowned back at the elf. "And they're not pitiful creatures. They're your people. Don't you care what happens to them at all?"

There was a pause before the elf responded, her face wavering just a bit. "I… look. It's not like I have no sympathy for those who have been banished. I do. But the Grand Magistrix had to make some hard choices for the future of our people. Those who left are those who didn't trust in her. She-"

Edwin's response was swift and blunt. "She sold your people out to the Burning Legion." Edwin also reached out and pulled up a chair, sitting down and leaning forward. "Maybe she doesn't see it that way, probably doesn't in fact. She probably thinks that this is best since it involves the least amount of people dying or whatever. But don't be an idiot. Do you think after all this that things will go back to normal? Do you really REALLY think that demons are going to conquer the world and then let you guys put your stupid bubble back up?"

"Shut up!" the elf screamed, looking furious. "You have no clue what Elisande thinks or knows. She has seen multiple futures, multiple outcomes and had determined this as best for our people. What do you know? You… people fight against the Legion not even knowing their full might! Do you think you have any chance against Sargeras should he come into this world? Don't make me laugh!"

"There IS a chance!" Edwin stood up furiously, knocking his chair he had just sat on to the floor. "Are you stupid or something? If there was no chance of us winning then why did the demons even recruit you guys? Why are they so desperate?" Leaning in, Edwin put his face inches from the elf's. "Because we have a chance. Maybe it's not great but we DO have a chance of winning. And if we have to go through you guys to do it then so be it."

Looking away from Edwin the elf scowled and said nothing. As Edwin picked up his chair and sat back down, Mitzi found herself speaking up. "Well? Would you tell us the information about the arcwine shipment then?"

The elf laughed out loud before responding. "What? You have to be joking! I would never tell you anything. I owe House Duskmere my life for taking me in off the streets when I was a little girl. I will not betray them." Smiling dangerously at Edwin, she motioned to the knives on his belt with a nod of her head. "Go ahead. Torture me if you really must. I have conditioned myself to resist pain… but I welcome you to try. Savages as yourself must love this sort of thing, yes?"

"Really?" Edwin took a knife from his belt and stood up. "You know it's funny, I've heard a few people say that over the years. Most of those people seem to be liars though. You see the thing is, pain inflicted upon yourself is way different than when someone else does it." Moving his hand swiftly, Edwin pressed the knife to her throat. "It's like touch. Touching yourself is no big deal really. But when another person touches you… when you don't know exactly what they're gonna do next… well. That is kind of a big deal."

Everyone in the room had gone quiet. Mitzi had felt like telling Edwin to stop, but the words didn't seem to form in her mouth. However, thankfully Edwin put the knife away and smiled at the elf. "Hey, I just realized I never introduced myself. I'm Edwin. Edwin Ogden." Motioning to Mitzi and Reni, he continued, "The gnome is Mitzi, and the goblin is Reni. We're all… good friends." Glancing to the elf, he pointed at her. "And you are?"

Seeming a bit uncomfortable after the knife to her throat, the elf took a moment to regain her composure. "...I shouldn't be telling you this but I'd rather not get threatened again. My name is Sabine."

"Sabine! Great, nice to meet you." Edwin smiled at her for a moment before getting back to the task at hand. "Sabine, can you please tell us about the arcwine shipment? On behalf of the Nightfallen, they would be most appreciative."

Sabine's face flushed red with anger. "Absolutely not! And stop talking to me like we're friends!"

This general back and forth exchange went on for close to a half hour. Sabine didn't give up any information of use at all during Edwin's patient questioning, and thankfully for Mitzi he never threatened her physically again.

While Edwin was struggling to think of more questions to ask their prisoner, Reni leaned in and whispered to Mitzi, "Hey, I was thinking… Edwin's looking a bit tired and we still have some time before midnight."

Furrowing her brows, Mitzi whispered back, "What do you mean exactly?"

"I said earlier that Edwin's kind of stressed now right? Well it's simple. Just go ask if he wants to lay down upstairs with you for a bit. I'll watch the prisoner, and you guys will have some alone time." Reni gave Mitzi a thumbs up. "Foolproof plan!"

Edwin let out a loud sigh as he sat back in his chair. "Look I don't think we're getting anywhere. Fine. If you won't tell us anything then I'm sure the Nightfallen will get you to talk." Standing up he walked over to the dying fire, throwing in a few more pieces of wood. Sabine didn't even respond, looking out the window at the rain as Edwin stoked the fire.

Feeling a gentle prodding from Reni, Mitzi stood up and walked up to Edwin. He had an annoyed look on his face but as soon as he saw her it broke into a smile. "Hey. Sorry that was just a waste of time."

"No, it's not your fault. I'm surprised at how patient you were." Mitz stood there next to Edwin as he looked into the fire. Now that she looked at his face here in the light she could see the faint outline of bags under his eyes. Though his face was smiling she couldn't help feeling that Edwin was tired of all this. Reaching up, Mitzi took his hand. "Hey. Why don't we go and take a nap?"

Glancing at her and then back to the fire, Edwin squeezed her hand back. "I… don't know if that's a good idea. I think I should make sure she doesn't…"

"Reni will watch over her. And you look like you could use a break." Mitzi smiled back at him. "Come on, there's even a bed upstairs we can use."

After considering, Edwin finally nodded. "Alright, fine. I guess I wouldn't mind closing my eyes for a bit." Turning to Reni, Edwin grinned widely. "Hey Reni, can you take care of things for a bit?"

Waving them away, Reni took another swig from her flask and motioned to Sabine. "Of course. Go ahead. I've got my eye on her."

As Mitzi pulled Edwin towards the stairs, feeling her heart beating a bit faster, the sound of sudden laughter stopped her in her tracks. Sabine was laughing, a mere snicker at first but soon she was laughing heartily, tears trickling down her face as she doubled over. "Oh… this is too much! You have to be joking me right?" she finally choked, looked at Mitzi incredulously. "You're not serious, are you?"

"What… what are you talking about?" Mitzi asked, gripping Edwin's hand a little tighter. The elf's laughing was starting to get on her nerves. "What's so funny?"

"You two. You're in a relationship, aren't you?" Sabine's laughter subsided for a moment as she smiled unpleasantly at Mitzi. "I just thought it was sweet, that's all. And a bit sad."

Edwin let go of Mitzi's hand and took a few steps closer to Sabine. He did not look amused as her attention focused on him now. "What's so sad about it?"

"Well. It's obvious. You must be quite unpopular with actual human women if you need to lay with a lesser species like this." The silence in the room was strained as Edwin clenched his fists, and Sabine grinned. "Or is it different than that? I imagine you probably like little girls, don't you? But you don't want to get in trouble so this is the next best thing right?"

"Shut the fuck up." Edwin's hands went down to the knives on his belt, but he stopped himself. "I love her. I'm not a damn pedophile. I just don't care that she's a gnome. I'd love her regardless."

"So it's probably something different than that, huh? Oh… I think I get it now." Sabine leered at Mitzi. "It's your manhood, isn't it? Too small I imagine. So you had to make do with this. I can only imagine how embarrassed your parents are. Do they have to lie about their son? Or do they just pretend you don't exist when people ask?"

Turning away from Sabine, Edwin took a deep breath. "Say whatever you want. I don-"

"Shut your face, bitch! Edwin does NOT have a small dick! I'll have you know it's big even for a human in fact!" Reni had jumped off her chair, face flushed a dark green with anger. "I'll bet you're just jealous aren't you!"

Everything was quiet for a moment, then Sabine snorted, and then burst out into gales of laughter again. "Th-the goblin too? You're having sex with THAT?!"

"I appreciate it Reni but… I don't think you helped" Edwin said with a sigh. "Look, we're just gonna go upstairs, alright? Just come get us if-"

"I said shut the FUCK up!" Reni yelled, grabbing the elf by the shirt collar. Her other hand went down to her belt and pulled out a knife, whipping it up to Sabine's throat and silencing her laughs abruptly. "Go ahead. Laugh again. I dare you!"

Edwin turned his full attention on them now with alarm. "Hey, what the hell Reni? Drop the knife!"

"You think I'm afraid of you?" Sabine grinned viciously at Reni, her eyes keeping contact the whole time. "I told you I'm no stranger to pain. Go ahead. Carve me up if that's what you want you savage."

The smile that Reni gave back was slow, Mitzi could almost see an idea forming in the goblin's mind as she slowly withdrew the knife from Sabine's throat. "Oh I'm not going to hurt you. That would be a shame. You are rather pretty after all." Reaching down, Reni slipped the tip of her knife under Sabine's shirt. "Such nice skin… let's see more of it."

"Wh-what are you doing?" Sabine called out in alarm as Reni started pulling the knife up her shirt, slowly ripping the blue material. "Stop it you… filthy little creature!" she screamed as the knife stopped briefly, caught on the elf's bra band. The blade strained for a long tense moment, and then the band snapped. Reni's blade tore the remaining length of shirt, and Sabine's naked breasts came spilling out, the dark purple nipples obviously erect. "How dare you! What is the meaning of this?!"

"Wow, you have some amazing tits" Reni remarked conversationally as she reached up and grabbed Sabine's breasts, groping them with a grin on her face as Sabine cried out and tried to no avail to squirm away. "Your nipples are already rock hard. What's up with that?"

"Reni! Wh… what the hell are you doing?" Mitzi demanded, not able to take her eyes off the scene. "Stop that!"

"Why? She insulted all three of us. Sat there and said some nasty things. I just figured…" Reni looked to Edwin and smiled seductively. "That maybe Edwin would punish her."

Everyone in the room seemed to focus their attention on Edwin. He looked shocked, glancing from face to face as his own face went red. "Huh?"

"I mean look at her!" Reni got behind Sabine and reached around, lifting her breasts. "You have to admit these are some great titties. I just thought you could teach her a lesson." She looked Edwin in the eye, her breathing a bit labored. Mitzi got the impression that this was really turning Reni on. "Show her you don't have a small dick."

"Reni… I don't think that…" Edwin started, looking quite unsure.

"I've said it before, you savages don't frighten me! I should have known you would be absolute barbarians. I'm not scared of your threats or blathering. Human! Go ahead. Do what you will, but know that I will never enjoy the meager feel of your pathetic manhood like this pair of whores!" Sabine looked livid as she glared at Edwin definitely.

"Do not. Call them whores." Edwin's face set into a firm and determined line. "Take that back." As Sabine only glared back, Edwin's hand went down to his belt and pulled out a knife. "Ok then" he said simply as moved towards her.

"S-stop!" Mitzi had been feeling very uncomfortable during all this, and Edwin pulling out the knife had been the final straw. She moved quickly in between Edwin and Sabine, pushing him back. "That's enough of this. You made your point!"

Edwin looked a bit taken aback but rallied quickly. "Mitzi. Don't get me in my way. You heard what she said."

"She's goading you. You're above that." She smiled at Edwin's face, and very slowly he put the knife away. "There. Take a deep breath." As Edwin took her advice, breathing in and out, Mitzi turned to Sabine. "I'm really sorry about all this. I'll try to get you another shir-" Mitzi stopped talking abruptly when Sabine breathed in through her nose, reared back and spit right in her face. She was so shocked she just stood there, feeling the snot slide down her cheek as the elf glared at her.

"Do you think I want your help, you little slut?" Sabine demanded, her eyes furious. "Fuck you. You disgust me. The other two are vile but at least they're true to their nature. If I could, I would run you through right here so your man could watch you die."

Mitzi felt genuinely speechless. She just looked Sabine in the eye, not knowing what to say or do at all. Then, slowly she pulled out a handkerchief and cleaned the snot off her cheek and collar. Finally, she sat down on a chair and made herself comfortable. "Alright. Nevermind Edwin. Do whatever you want to her."

The look that Edwin gave her was complicated. Emotions seemed to fight on his face. However he leaned in close and gave her a kiss, and whispered in her ear, "I will get you an apology" before turning back to Sabine. "Reni" he said, motioning for the goblin to move aside, which she did wordlessly, pulling up a chair next to Mitzi.

Reni looked very excited as she sat down and leaned in close to Mitzi. "This is going to be great" she whispered.

Both Edwin and Sabine looked at each other for a long time, the elf looking slightly uncomfortable as the moment went on. Then Edwin smiled, and sat down on the couch next to her. "Ok then. First things first." Reaching out he grabbed Sabine's legs and flipped her over onto her stomach. As she began to sputter complaints, Edwin pulled her over towards him, stopping when she was positioned on his lap. Her waist was on top of Edwin's, her butt squirming in front of his face as she tried to move away. Edwin's hands grabbed her hips, stopping her fast as he grinned. "We need to punish you."

"P-punish me? What are you thinking you… you pervert? Let me go!" Sabine shook in place, wrists desperately rubbing against the ropes that bound them as she tried to free herself.

"Not until we're done here" Edwin said casually, reaching down to Sabine's pants. After a moment of fiddling he whipped her belt off in one fluid motion, tossing it aside onto the ground. Hooking his thumbs into the waistband of her pants, Edwin started pulling them down despite Sabine's best efforts. It didn't take long before Sabine's ass was completely unveiled, the smooth dark blue skin obvious even in the limited light of the room. "Now. I want you to apologize to them. To Mitzi and Reni."

"What?" Sabine demanded, giving Edwin a look before turning to the two of them. "Are you serious? For what, exactly?"

Edwin's response was casual, though Mitzi heard a warning tone in his voice. "Don't joke around. You called both of them whores. And then you called Mitzi a slut when she was trying to help you. I don't think that's very nice, so I want you to apologize."

Sabine's laugh was mocking. "What is this? Go and die, human. I will never-" she was cut off suddenly when Edwin brought his hand down hard, smacking her ass. "What are you doing?" she demanded again, looking shocked.

"Apologize to them. Right now." Edwin was looking her in the eye, his expression deadpan.

"I will not! You can-ow!" Edwin's hand came down and smacked her again, harder this time. It left a brief hand-shaped mark on her buttcheek. "You can hit me all you want, I-OW!"

The next few minutes was spent with Edwin slowly but steadily spanking Sabine. She was furious at first, her tirades only being stopped momentarily by Edwin's smacks, but slowly her anger began to crumble. Then came pleading, with Sabine yelling "Just… just stop already! Stop!" over and over. Finally, tears began to appear in the elf's eyes as Edwin's spankings didn't seem to be slowing down or getting gentler. "O-ok! Ok! Stop! I'm sorry!" Edwin's hand finally stopped as Sabine squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to cry. Both of her buttcheeks were red now, and Mitzi winced in sympathy.

"What are you sorry for?" Edwin asked, his voice light and easy. He was smiling faintly, like he had just heard a good joke. "Are you saying sorry to me?"

Turning her head, Sabine practically glared at Reni and Mitzi. "I'm sorry ok! I'm sorry for calling you two whores!" Turning her blazing eyes to Edwin, she breathed heavily. "There! Happy?!"

Edwin just looked back at her for a long moment, his face expressionless. Then he scowled, his eyes furious as he brought his hand up and smacked her harder than ever. Sabine yelped loudly as Edwin began smacking her with renewed vigor. "Do you think I'm stupid?!" he roared. "You think I don't know when someone's being sincere?! You think THAT'S an apology?!"

This time Sabine did cry. She buried her face into the couch and screamed, tears flowing down her face. "Stop! STOP! Ok! You're right! I-I was bad! Stop! I'm sorry!" Silence came over the room again as Edwin stopped abruptly, his hand inches from slapping her ass. Sabine looked over to Reni and Mitzi, tears in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry. I'm really sorry for calling you whores. I w-won't do it again."

"There you go" Edwin said soothingly, his hand patting Sabine's sore behind before rubbing it gently. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"No" Sabine said obediently.

Edwin's hand came down and grabbed her chin, lifting her face to look directly into his. "No SIR" Edwin shot back.

There was a long moment of hesitation as Sabine opened and closed her mouth. She looked shocked and appalled at what she was being asked, but she seemed to swallow her pride. "No sir" she whispered, face red.

Looking quite pleased with himself, Edwin pulled her pants back up over her butt and stood up. "Ok then. The punishment is over, I guess we should continue with the interrogation now." He pulled a knife from his belt and reached out to Sabine.

"What? No!" Sabine flinched away, but Edwin reached down and grabbed her torn shirt. Delicately Edwin cut the rest of the shirt off the elf, ignoring her faint cries of protest. "What are you going to do to me?" Sabine asked as Edwin pulled away with her shirt and bra in his hands.

"I just said. Interrogate you." Edwin took his knife to the destroyed shirt, cutting a long strip of cloth from the destroyed shirt. "Sorry about this. The shirt was ruined anyhow."

"Wha? No, stop it! What are you doing?!" Sabine cried out in alarm as Edwin came up behind her and slipped the length of cloth over her eyes. He tied it in place nice and firm, leaving Sabine whipping her head around trying to remove the blindfold. Mitzi could still see the faint glow of her strange elven eyes underneath the cloth, darting about.

"Why do you keep asking? You'll find out soon enough." Seemingly pleased by his handy work, Edwin walked around and just admired Sabine for a moment, her breasts swinging free as she glanced around the room from her kneeling position.

"I won't stop asking questions! What are going to do to me now, hurt me some more?" Sabine flinched as she felt Edwin drawing closer to her, and shuddered when he leaned in and licked her along the length of one ear.

"Believe it or not I don't like hurting girls. Especially not ones as lovely as yourself. So I promise, unless you say something that requires punishment, I won't hurt you when you have that blindfold on. Ok?" Edwin's hand reached up and slowly ran down Sabine's arm, barely touching the surface with his fingertips. Her entire body erupted into goosebumps.

"B-but…" Sabine seemed to be a bit confused as Edwin's hand moved from her arm down to her stomach. "Aren't you trying to get… information from me?"

Chuckling, Edwin grabbed Sabine's shoulders, making her jump. "Of course I am. You said it yourself, you're used to pain. So I'm trying a different approach. I'm gonna tease you until you give me what I want." Edwin pushed her down onto the couch with a gasp.

"Tease me? What do you mean?" she asked, alarmed as Edwin got up off the couch. He walked calmly over to his bag and rummaged around inside before taking out a book. Reaching inside, he removed a feather he had been using for a bookmark with a satisfied look.

"Just what I said. Now… before we start let's take off the rest of those pesky clothes." Edwin pulled out his knife again and advanced on Sabine, who screamed in protest. He didn't use the knife to cut any clothes off her this time, only to cut the ropes holding her legs together so he could more easily take off her boots and pants. Sabine struggled harder than ever, shouting and cursing, but ultimately to no avail. Soon she was laying there in just her panties, looking quite a bit more self-conscious with a blush on her cheeks. Edwin stood there and took the sight in for a moment as he pulled a chair up to the couch. "Wow. You know you're really quite beautiful. Has anyone ever told you that?"

"I… I don't care what you think about me!" Sabine squirmed, crossing her legs.

"Hey. You don't have to get so angry." Edwin brought the feather up and slowly lowered it towards Sabine's exposed belly button. With a smirk he inserted the tip into the delicate groove in her skin, making the elf gasp out loud as he began moving gently around her stomach. "Now. Why don't you tell me the truth. The guys must be all over you, right?"

"I… I…" Sabine looked as though she was having trouble concentrating as Edwin moved the feather up towards her breasts. "I've had… lovers before… but none ever told me I was beautiful…" she mumbled. Mitzi couldn't help but notice that Sabine's panties were already quite wet.

"Geez. I thought you elves were supposed to be smart." Edwin grinned as he brushed the feather against Sabine's left nipple, making the elf bite her bottom lip. "I figured someone would have told you the completely obvious by now."

"Shut up! I don't care about the opinions of some lesser race!" Sabine had a furious look on her face, even though she leaned her body into the feather as Edwin started on her right nipple.

"Not even a little bit?" Edwin asked, sounding wounded. He took the feather away and leaned in close to her ear. "It doesn't make you even a little bit hot? Knowing that some human wants to bend you over and fuck you raw?"

"N-not even a little bit!" Sabine called back with a determined look on her face. The expression crumbled when Edwin started to glide the feather up and down her inner thighs, making her moan out loud for the first time. Realizing what she'd done she shut her mouth tight, and sat there in silence as Edwin lazily drew on her skin. Finally he reached her panties and started tracing the feather on the surface, using just a bit more force than before. Sabine reacted at once, she finally lost that angry expression and began panting like a dog in heat, twisting her head back and forth. Then without warning he dropped the feather, reached down and rubbed her gently along the length of her pussy with his finger. She cried out, arching her back and pressing herself against Edwin's hand for a moment before flopping back on the couch, panting. Her panties were now completely soaked.

"Let's get those off you, ok?" Edwin asked pleasantly, reaching down and pulling off Sabine's panties. She hardly resisted this time, only vaguely kicking out once or twice as he got them over her ankles and threw them to the side. "I'll let you rest for a moment before round two."

"Th-there's a round two?" Sabine asked, shocked.

"Well, are you going to tell me about that arcwine shipment?" Edwin shot back.

The scowl returned full force to Sabine's face. "Go to hell."

With a shrug, Edwin walked over to Mitzi. "Then sorry, this is gonna keep happening." As Sabine grumbled, Edwin leaned down and cupped his hands around Mitzi's ear. "Hey. Sorry, but could you do me a favor?"

Coming back to reality, Mitzi looked up at Edwin in surprise. She had been so focused on everything she had zoned out. "What? Oh, sure" she whispered back.

"Great. You can make ice, right? I just need a small cube. Like you put down my shirt that night."

Remembering how she woke up Edwin with an ice cube down the shirt, Mitzi smiled. "Sure… why though?" Edwin just smiled in response, and with a sigh Mitzi summoned a ice chunk and handed it over. As Edwin walked back over and sat down, Mitzi looked to Reni, about to ask her what Edwin was thinking. To her shock, she saw that Reni had both hands buried in her pants, eyes focused lustfully on Edwin.

"So, last chance. Are you sure you won't tell me more about the arcwine?" Edwin held the ice chunk in his palms, letting it melt just a bit.

"I'll never tell the likes of you. I don't know what you have planned but I can take anything!" there was something slightly off about that line to Mitzi, but Sabine still seemed rather angry so she didn't think too much about it.

"Alright then. Don't say I didn't warn you." Edwin brought the ice cube down and touched her belly button first once again. Sabine's whole body broke out into goosebumps and she cried out when Edwin brought it down her thighs once before focusing on her breasts. Not even bothering to hide it now, Sabine moaned in obvious pleasure as Edwin teased her. He brought the ice to her lips, moving it around in a slow circle, and Mitzi was sure that the elf's tongue briefly darted out to touch it.

As he brought the ice down towards her vulva, he began lazily drawing patterns as he made his way to her clitoris. It was right when he brushed it for the first time, sending goosebumps rippling out across her body again, when she gasped "E-Edwin!" out loud.

The whole room seemed to freeze. Edwin looked in surprise to Sabine's face, which was dark with embarrassment. "I'm sorry. Did you just scream my name?" he asked curiously.

"It was… it was a slip of the tongue!" she shot back, turning her head away from his, face blushing a furious red.

Reaching down, Edwin grabbed Sabine's knees as she cried out. "Sabine. If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I can't stand a blushing girl." With a little pressure, Edwin pushed her legs apart and stared wondrously at her vagina. "Amazing… and you were telling the truth earlier? You had lovers who saw this and didn't tell you that you were beautiful?"

"I-it's nothing special!" Sabine retorted, turning her head back. "Nothing about me is that special" she muttered.

"That's bullshit. Tell me why you think that" Edwin ordered, moving his face in closer to Sabine's legs.

"I'm just an orphan. A commoner. Since I have no title or dowry I know I am not very… desirable. I know there are better options. I have spent these last two thousand years knowing I will likely never marry." She looked forlorn, her face set in a frown.

Edwin leaned in and licked Sabine's inner thigh. She jumped, and moaned as Edwin took hold of her thighs and began licking them like a child with a lollipop. "I can't believe how stupid some people are. If I was an elf I would make you my wife no matter what it took. I'd stay in a tent on the street as long as I could lick these thighs."

"Do-don't talk like that!" Sabine looked like she was trying not to scream out again. "I would never… never marry yo-ahhh!" She failed to stop herself from screaming when Edwin plunged right into her pussy, fingering and licking whatever he could reach.

"I can't take this anymore" said Reni, startling Mitzi. She took her hands out of her pants and got up, running to her bag and rummaging through it. Finally finding what she was looking for, Reni came back and triumphantly showed Mitzi what she had retrieved. Mitzi blushed as she realized it was a smooth ivory dildo, slightly smaller than Edwin, with a lacquered wooden handle protruding from the bottom. "He's probably not gonna be done for a while, so…" Reni said, sitting in her chair and teasing herself with the tip. Mitzi felt a little jealous, she had left her dildo back at home in Dalaran.

Sabine's cries were getting louder and louder, which made Mitzi shift focus back to Edwin. She had her back arched and her legs wrapped around Edwin's head as he continued to eat her out. As Edwin lifted her whole backside into the air, licking and sucking her clitoris, Sabine cried out as her body shuddered and fell limp for the second time. She seemed quite exhausted as Edwin pulled himself from her thighs and wiped his face with his sleeve.

As Sabine recovered, her breathing normalizing again, Edwin slowly reached down and removed his boots, followed by his pants and shirt. With just his boxers on, Edwin walked around to Sabine's head and took off her blindfold in one quick pull. Edwin and the elf both just looked at each other for a moment. Sabine's gaze dropped to the noticeable bulge in Edwin's boxers, and wordlessly Edwin reached down and pulled them down, revealing his erection to her. Sabine's face broke out in a bit of surprise, and Mitzi couldn't help but grin. It didn't seem so small now, she bet.

The moment ended when Edwin reached down and grasped Sabine's legs again, positioning himself between them before she could react. She struggled a bit as Edwin almost lazily rubbed the length of his penis against her vulva, making her moan out loud. "So you're going to force yourself on me then?" Sabine asked, looking uncertain.

"Are you going to tell me about the arcwine shipment?" Edwin grinned back.

"I will never betray my people." Sabine looked away from Edwin, squeezing her eyes shut. "Fine. Do what you have to. Get your sick pleasures. Force your way into me you… beast!"

Edwin readjusted, moving the head of his penis to her very wet pussy. He stopped, only inches away from contact. For a moment he stayed like that, then sighed. "You know what? Nevermind."

As Edwin got off her and stood up, stretching his arms, Sabine opened her eyes slowly. She glanced around, completely baffled. "Wait, what?"

"I was just thinking. You're right. This is pretty wrong of me. I shouldn't be forcing myself on some girl who doesn't want it." Edwin walked over to his bag and rummaged inside, taking out a blanket and unfurling it with one quick snap. He draped it over Sabine, covering her naked body. "Sorry about that. We'll just get the information later I guess."

Sabine looked around, completely lost. "Wha… but… aren't you interrogating me?"

"Most people don't rape prisoners for information. I probably already crossed the line big time. I'll just leave the rest to professionals." Edwin was casual with his response as he plopped down in a chair, if he didn't have a raging erection Mitzi might think he didn't want to fuck the elf at all.

"So… you're really not gonna do anything?" Reni asked, looking disappointed as she put her dildo aside. "Man…"

"Yeah, sorry Reni" Edwin said lightly, standing up again after drinking a bit of water. "Can you do me a favor though?"

"What's that?" Reni asked, looking a bit annoyed.

"Could you take your pants off and come here?" Edwin pointed down to right in front of himself.

Everyone paused for a second to look at Reni, and despite the fact that she had just been masturbating Reni blushed. "Um… why?"

"I just got rejected. I have this annoying hardon, and it looks like you're soaking wet." Not waiting for a response, Edwin walked over and reached down, pulling them off before she could react. "I'm sorry. I'm gonna fuck you right here."

As Edwin reached down and picked her up, Reni glanced at Sabine nervously, who was staring back as if fascinated. "Uh… do we have to? Right here?"

"Yes" Edwin said savagely, kissing her. Reni moaned as their tongues curled against one another, and let out a squeak of surprise as Edwin pushed her against a wall. "I'm sorry. You're so damn sexy. I just can't wait." Reaching down, Edwin lined up with Reni's pussy before plunging in. The two stayed like that for a moment, Edwin pushing slowly inside her as Reni bit her lip. Then Edwin pulled back, slamming into her again as he started vigorously fucking her against the wall.

Mitzi felt just a little miffed. Yes it was true that Reni was the one actively masturbating to all this (Mitzi had just been touching herself nonchalantly so nobody else would notice) but Reni had gotten sex sooner than her. This was just unfair. She was going to say something, but decided against it. This did seem to be helping with any stress Edwin may have had. Looking away for a moment she couldn't help but notice Sabine, who couldn't seem to take her eyes off the pair. As it went on, Edwin reaching under Reni's shirt to grope her tits, or grabbing onto Reni's ass with both hands as he fucked her even harder, Sabine finally tore her gaze away. She screwed her eyes shut, obviously trying to block out the sounds as Reni started to shout louder and louder. "S-slow down Edwin!" she shouted, gripping desperately to his neck. "Give me a minute…"

"Sorry" Edwin said, slowing down a bit as he lifted Reni's chin with one hand and kissed her. "I'm getting close."

"I-I'm getting there too." Gripping Edwin tighter, Reni started bucking back against him with every thrust, making her lower body thump against the wall over and over. "Come inside me, Edwin! I want to feel you!"

"Reni" Edwin grunted, gripping her waist tightly as he thrust up inside her.

Tearing her eyes from Edwin for a moment, Mitzi glanced curiously back to Sabine. The elf was staring at Edwin and Reni again as she sat up straight on the couch, and judging by the way she was grinding her thighs together underneath the blanket and the way she was biting her lip Mitzi guessed that she wished her hands were free.

Reni began to scream out louder and louder now, digging her nails into Edwin's back, which he didn't even seem to notice. "I… I'm about to…" Edwin silenced her with a kiss, and thrust inside her one last time as he linked his fingers with hers. The two stayed like that for a minute after finally unlocking lips, Reni giggling and giving Edwin a few soft kisses on the chest as she regained her breath. Finally Edwin pulled out of her and sat down on the dusty armchair with a grunt, holding Reni in his lap as the two basked in the afterglow.

Then, a grin, Edwin gave Reni a light slap on the rear. "Alright. Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna fuck Mitzi."

Mitzi felt her cheeks redden and her pulse quicken. She avoided Edwin's gaze, not knowing what to say. Shivering, Reni giggled again as she got off Edwin's lap and stretched a bit. "Well you'd better. She's been waiting for it longer than I have you know. Shame on you for doing me first."

"Sorry, Mitzi" Edwin said lightly as he stood up as well. He was already quite hard again, his erection bobbing as he came near. He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his own. "I'm a real idiot sometimes. Can you forgive me?"

While she may have been briefly angry with him, that went away as she looked into his eyes. She just couldn't stay angry when he looked sorrowful. Plus, she couldn't stop her eyes from straying to his penis. "Oh, of course. Don't be silly."

"Thank the Light." Edwin leaned in and kissed her as he ran a hand through her hair, grinning. "So… wanna do it?"

"Um…" Mitzi's eyes flicked from Edwin to Sabine and back again. "I'm sorry but… can we maybe go upstairs?" She felt just a little bit awkward about having sex here, or being pounded up against a wall.

"Sure, sure. Reni, do you mind looking after the prisoner?" Edwin motioned almost offhandedly at Sabine, who had a frustrated look on her face.

"Alright. Just give me a minute to put some armor on just in-"

"Wait!" Everyone in the room turned to Sabine. She had kicked the blanket off and was panting like a dog in heat. "I… are you really just going to leave?"

Mitzi saw Edwin's face change slowly from surprise to a devilish smile. He leaned in to Mitzi and cupped a hand around her ear. "I'm sorry my love. Duty calls. I promise, you're next" he whispered.

Standing, Edwin turned and walked casually up to Sabine. His smile was easy going, like he had met an old friend on the street. "Well I'm going upstairs, yes. I want a little time with Mitzi before we head to Shal'Aran… why?"

Sabine couldn't quite meet Edwin's eye as she looked up at him, her gaze dropping briefly to his throbbing dick. "It's just… I thought…"

"What is it?" Edwin demanded.

"I thought you wanted to… make love to me…" Sabine finally managed. "You said I was beautiful."

"I told you already. I'm not going to force myself on someone. ...Again." Edwin crossed his arms and looked down at her. "You are beautiful. But it doesn't mean much if you don't want. So…" Edwin reached down for the blanket that Sabine had kicked to the floor, however a quick glance to the elf froze him in place.

Sabine had spread her legs wide, proudly showing off her pussy to the whole room. "But I do want it" she moaned, her breathing labored and face flushed. "Please."

Grinning, Edwin looked down at Sabine for a long moment, savoring his victory. Then he crawled slowly on top of her, positioning himself. As Sabine watched, completely fascinated, Edwin led his throbbing penis to Sabine's vagina… and stopped again. He stood up causing Sabine to sit up with an aggravated growl. "You know what? Even though you want me to fuck you… we're missing one more thing. Are you going to tell us about the arcwine shipment yet?"

Mitzi, who had been feeling a little upset again when Edwin skipped her for sex, felt like she just remembered what they were actually supposed to be doing here again. It made her less angry, though she also slowly began to realize that she gave her boyfriend complete permission to have sex with a beautiful elf.

"I… I can't tell you that!" Sabine replied, clearly upset. "I've already told you!"

Edwin put his hands on Sabine's shoulders. "Why not?"

"I'm loyal to my superiors!" Sabine didn't sound all that sure this time. "I believe they're doing what's right!"

"It sounds to me like your superiors are just looking out for themselves. Making deals with the Legion… throwing out people who disagree with them… why do you follow people who don't even care about your well being?" Edwin slowly pushed Sabine back down onto the couch as he spoke, climbing on top of her once more.

"They're doing it for the greater good!" Sabine sounded like she was trying to convince herself. "We… have countermeasures if the Legion-"

"Then you KNOW they're not to be trusted!" Edwin cried back. He put a hand to her face, stroking her cheek. "If you know your masters aren't to be trusted… then just follow another."

"What? You mean like House Lunastre?"

"Me." Edwin stared into her eyes, unblinking. "Follow me. Call me your master."

The look that Sabine gave back to Edwin was one of shock, tinged with just a hint of curiosity. "What? Pledge to a human? Why should I do that?"

"It's simple. First, I'll protect you. I protect all those under my care." Reaching down to his belt, Edwin pulled out one of the two Kingslayers. Pulling it out, he showed her the blade. "Second, I wield one of the weapons to drive back the Legion. I know you're a capable warrior, and together I know we can take the fight to those demons." Putting the blade away, he grinned confidently at Sabine as she lay underneath him. "And third, because I think you're into me."

"Don't get such a big head! Just because I ask for a little sex doesn't mean anything!"

"Is that why you called out my name?" Edwin looked amused as she avoided his gaze. "Is that why you've been so wet this entire time?" Leaning in, he put his mouth right next to her ear. "Last question… I cut your legs free before I started fucking Reni and you never tried to run or anything. Why is that?"

"I… I wasn't exactly going to get very far naked…" Sabine muttered. She gasped out loud as Edwin began sliding the length of his penis along the slit of her vagina again, and moaned in frustration. "I already told you I want it!"

"I have two beautiful, sexy women right over there who WANT to have sex with me already." Edwin was firm as he reached down and turned her face to meet his. "Well?"

Breathing heavily, Sabine opened and closed her mouth a few times. "What… what will you do when I have withdrawal symptoms from the well? I can't go without its' power for too long…"

"Then I'll just cure you." Edwin's reply was quick and blunt. "I can't have my servant going around like that. Even if I couldn't cure it I'd just steal you all the arcwine you could ever need myself."

"Cure?!" Sabine looked completely flabbergasted. "That… that's impossible! You can't-"

"I can. And I will." Edwin's thumb moved slowly along the curve of her lip. "Well?

Sabine took a long moment to respond. She looked away from Edwin for a moment and closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts. "If it's true… if you really can cure me, if you really think we can fight the Legion together…" Sabine opened her eyes and looked into Edwin's. "Then I will gladly call you master."

Chuckling, Edwin leaned his head in towards hers. "Then I accept you as my servant." He kissed her for the first time, long and slow as one of his hands came up to stroke her long ears. Sabine seemed a bit surprised when Edwin slipped his tongue into her mouth, but she quickly got the hang of it. After a minute of this Edwin broke the kiss, leaving Sabine panting as he positioned the head of his penis at her vagina. "Now. Ask your master nicely for this."

"Please master" Sabine begged, rubbing her legs against Edwin. "Please fuck me."

Grabbing Sabine's right leg, he threw it over his shoulder. "Since you asked so nicely…" Edwin murmured as he thrust up and into her. He smiled widely as he began vigorously humping Sabine, one hand reaching out to fondle her left breast and pinch the nipple. "Damn. You're over two thousand years old? You could have fooled me. Your pussy feels absolutely amazing" he panted.

"P-please don't talk about me like that." Sabine whimpered as she looked away from Edwin.

"Look at me" Edwin commanded as he stopped screwing Sabine, cock buried in her. Sabine looked back slowly to face Edwin, face red. "I want to see that beautiful face while I fuck you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes. Yes, master" Sabine said breathlessly, squirming her bound arms underneath her.

Edwin began to pick up the pace again, sliding her body back and forth on the couch as he started getting rougher. "And I can't keep quiet about how tight you are. When's the last time you had sex anyhow?"

"One hundred twenty four years." Sabine's eyes were half open and she was panting again.

"And not ONE guy has tried to fuck you that whole time?" Edwin reached down and pinched her clitoris, making her cry out out and arch her back. "What a bunch of fucking idiots! Well then you'd better clear your schedule for the next fifty years or so. You are mine, do you hear me?"

"Y-yes! I'm yours, master! F-fuck me whenever you want!" she screamed

While Mitzi was watching with rapt attention, not really knowing if she should have done something to stop this by now, Reni flopped into the chair next to her. She had a huge, satisfied grin on her face as she looked up at her. "I told you this was going to be great."

"Did… did he just get another mistress?" Mitzi wondered aloud. She felt a sinking feeling in her gut.

"Looks like it." Reni looked relatively unconcerned as she reached out and picked up her dildo again. "Why don't you get undressed? He's going to want to fuck you for sure once he's done with her" she said conversationally as she slowly began to insert the tip inside herself.

"Wha? No, shouldn't we stop this?" Mitzi asked, looking unsure. She felt like not only was Reni not angry enough about this, SHE wasn't angry enough about this.

Switching which hand was clutching the dildo, Reni put her now free hand on Mitzi's shoulder. "Listen. I've been having sex with Edwin for a little while now. I found out he likes to… well. He liked to blindfold me. And tie me up, along with some other stuff. But I never really liked most of it. It makes me feel claustrophobic when I'm blindfolded and being tied up makes me too nervous to enjoy sex. Edwin was very understanding, he said he only wanted to do it with someone who wanted it done and dropped the subject. So… maybe it's good we found her."

"Really? That's the reason? To… indulge one of his fetishes?" Mitzi asked, exasperated.

"Well, no. I mean she is going to be useful after all, if just for the information. Plus…" Reni hesitated and looked back to Edwin, who had dropped Sabine's leg and was fucking her eagerly as he licked and sucked at her nipples. "Honestly I think this is really hot."

Mitzi tried to think of a good retort, but she ended up just watching as Edwin lifted himself up with his hands and pounded Sabine slowly, making her gasp out loud each time. "I'm… so close…" the elf mumbled.

Feeling rather sexually frustrated and with no response, Mitzi reached out and snatched the dildo away from Reni's shocked hands. "Oh… give me that!" Mitzi reached down and slipped her pants and panties around her ankles. Not even waiting she plunged the dildo up inside herself, feeling it slide in with ease. Turning her attention back to Edwin, Mitzi slipped one hand up to pinch one of her nipples as she started masturbating and moaning. Mitzi was vaguely aware of Reni reaching down and removing both her boots and the clothes around her ankles.

As Edwin sat back up and put his hands on Sabine's hips, he sped up, making her breasts shake back and forth. With a loud cry Sabine arched her back, closing her eyes tight before she shuddered and went limp. They stayed like that for a minute as Sabine panted and Edwin slowly regained his breath. Then Sabine looked up, clearly astonished. "You… you didn't come?"

Edwin pulled out of Sabine, making her let out a small whimper, and brandished his erection. He was indeed still quite hard. "No." Reaching down, Edwin rubbed her vulva with one long, gentle stroke of a finger. "Turn over. Put your ass in the air for me."

"Yes master" she replied breathlessly as she turned over, lifting her rear into the air.

"Here, why don't I make this a little easier for you." Edwin seized one of his small knives and took Sabine's bound hands gently in his own. Mitzi could see that there were some minor rope burns on her wrists from all the friction. "Now just stay still for a moment and-" Before he could do anything Sabine suddenly pulled her hands away from Edwin. He looked annoyed, and tried to grab her hands again.

"Wait!" Sabine called, making Edwin freeze. She looked over her shoulder, making eye contact. "I… if you want to leave those ropes on then I don't… actually mind…" she mumbled, barely audible.

With a slow laugh, Edwin put the knife away and got on his knees. "Those ropes… is that why you were so turned on? Why your nipples were rock hard?" Edwin used one hand to guide the head of his cock to Sabine's dripping pussy. "Did you like it when I blindfolded you? When I spanked you?"

"I wanted to hate it" Sabine almost whined back as Edwin teased her. "I loved it. I never… I never really enjoyed sex before today. I never even had an orgasm. I never thought I could feel this good. Please, master… I want you to feel good too."

"What sort of master would I be if I refused such a generous offer?" Edwin asked, grabbing Sabine's bound wrists with one hand as he roughly thrust inside her.

As Edwin started fucking Sabine faster, Mitzi noticed that the rope on Sabine's wrists was rubbing against her skin, making the skin more and more red. The elf didn't seem to mind though, in fact she bit her lip with pleasure as Edwin pounded at her. Looking over her shoulder, Sabine panted as she looked Edwin in the eye. "Master. Would you spank me?"

Letting out a burst of laughter, Edwin grinned hugely. "You really are a bad girl, aren't you?!" He pulled Sabine's wrists back and thrust into her, his other hand coming up to smack her already red ass. Sabine yelped in pain, but judging by the look on her face and the moans she let out it was not unwelcome pain.

"Yes! I'm very bad! Please discipline me master!" Sabine cried out. She began bucking back against Edwin as he occasionally gave her rear a slap.

"You went and turned traitor to your house all for some dick." Edwin reached out and grabbed a handful of Sabine's hair, pulling her head back. Mitzi thought this was a bit much, but once again going by the look on Sabine's face she didn't seem to mind. Something about watching Edwin punish this beautiful elf was really getting Mitzi going. Sabine's eyes were half closed and she was beginning to drool a bit from the corner of her mouth, which was smiling vaguely. "Of course you're bad, you dirty little slut!" Edwin yelled as he fucked her harder. "You're no better than a misbehaving pet! You're lucky I even thought about taking you in! Now, tell me who you belong to!"

"I belong to you, master! I-I'm your pet!" Sabine looked like she couldn't take it anymore, screwing up her eyes and screaming as Edwin thrust up inside her one last time. As Sabine's body relaxed, her pussy started to drip on the couch. Mitzi also felt her body seize up around the dildo as the orgasm hit her, her cries muffled as she bit down on her finger.

Edwin had a look of triumph as he finally pulled out of Sabine. Reaching down, he picked up the knife he had discarded earlier and sliced the ropes binding Sabine's wrists with no complaints this time. Flipping her over, Edwin grinned down at the elf's exhausted face. "I think that's enough for right now. I need to let my servant rest after all." Leaning down, he kissed her for a long minute, Sabine's hands coming up to feel Edwin's face.

"Master…" Sabine murmured, moving her hands down to Edwin's chest. "I… I will follow you anywhere." Reaching down and gripping Edwin's hands, she blushed. "If you will it I would even be your wife."

"Woah woah!" Both Sabine and Edwin look up in surprise Reni got up off her chair, scowling. She stomped over to the two of them and roughly pushed them apart before turning on Sabine, pointing a finger in her face. "Now listen up. I know you're new and all but there's already a pecking order here sister. There's one wife and that's not you. At BEST you're second mistress."

"Se-second mistress?!" Sabine looked from Edwin to Reni in shock. "That's ridiculous! You'd choose a goblin over me? Tell me this isn't true!"

"It isn't true" Edwin said casually, as Sabine's shoulders relaxed a bit. He stood up and walked up to Mitzi, who realized that she still had a dildo buried inside herself. With a blush Mitzi took it out and put it on the chair next to her as she pulled her pants back up. Without waiting Edwin scooped Mizi up in his arms and kissed her. It wasn't the hungry, lustful kiss she had been expecting, but instead a slow and gentle one. When Edwin broke the kiss he turned back to Sabine. "This is Mitzi. She's going to be my wife someday."

Sabine looked angry for a long moment as she sat up. Her hands were balled into fists, her mouth set in a straight line. Everyone looked at each other, and Mitzi could see Reni already reaching for a knife. Then, Sabine's face drooped in an almost childish pout. "But I don't wanna be the second mistress!" she whined, putting her face in her hands.

"Well, tough luck! There's only one wife!" Reni turned away with a huff as Sabine let out a low sad moan. As the elf continued to sniffle and act miserable, Reni's face wavered for a moment as she turned back. "Oh… grow up! You're the oldest one here, aren't you?!" That didn't seem to work, and Sabine only whined louder. Reni gritted her teeth in irritation. "Ok! If it's that important to you then we can BOTH be first mistress! Happy?!"

The crying stopped at the drop of a hat, and Sabine smiled at Reni. "That would be wonderful, thank you!"

Reni's face flushed a dark green, completely furious. "Wha… you bitch! Those were just crocodile tears!"

"How ridiculous. We elves are just more in touch with our emotions, that's all" Sabine said casually, before standing up and walking up behind Edwin. Mitzi hadn't noticed until now but Sabine was actually slightly taller than Edwin. Sabine leaned in and began kissing the back of his neck, almost as if she hadn't noticed Mitzi still in his arms. "Is there anything else I can do for you tonight, master?" she breathed into Edwin's ear.

"Oh just wait your turn!" Reni barked, giving Sabine a shove as the two scowled at each other.

"Ladies." Both Reni and Sabine looked up at Edwin, who was smiling back. "We still have a bit of time before we leave. I think we can all come to an agreement before the rain lets up. Now if you'll excuse me… I'll be taking Mitzi upstairs." As Edwin made off towards the stairs Sabine frowned after them while Reni gave Mitzi a thumbs up. Edwin stopped right before he left, face lighting up. "Oh right. I forgot. Sabine?" Edwin asked, smiling to the elf.

"Yes?" she asked, curiously.

"I want you to sit on the couch until I get back. Reni will tell me if you move. Do I make myself clear?" still smiling, he waited for a response.

Sabine's face flushed red, but she sat down almost at once. "Yes master" she said, not taking her eyes off Edwin.

"Good girl" Edwin called over his shoulder as he left the room. He waited until they were in the upstairs bedroom, door closed as much as possible behind them, before finally speaking again. Edwin's face suddenly looked bewildered, like he had just seen something impossible. "Holy crap. I… I can't believe that just happened" he said shakily as he put Mitzi down and sat on the bed, putting his head in his hands.

"Well. You seem to have enjoyed it." Mitzi couldn't help but sound just a little bit patronizing.

"Well yeah. I did enjoy it. A lot. I just didn't expect things to go that way, that's all." Edwin ran a hand through his hair as he took a deep breath. "That was… wow."

Mitzi sat down on the bed next to Edwin. A question was on her mind, and she couldn't stop herself from asking it with no preamble. "Edwin? Do you ever think of tying up and spanking Reni and me?" As much as she hated to admit it, she was a little nervous after seeing all that.

Looking back at her, Edwin's face looked serious as he tried to form the proper response. "Yes. Not all the time or anything, but yeah. I've thought of it a few times." Edwin saw the frown that crossed Mitzi's face and quickly elaborated. "Look it's… it's not like I want to tie you two down against your will and spank you when you don't want it. If that sort of thing made you guys happy then it would be my absolute pleasure to do it to you. But if you weren't comfortable with it too then I honestly don't think I would enjoy it either. I did that stuff with Reni a couple times, and even though she went along with it I could tell she didn't like it much. That's why I haven't even brought it up again." Ewin reached out and took Mitzi's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as he smiled. "I love you, Mitzi. I only want to make you feel good and happy. Even if all you wanted to do with me forever was sit here and hold hands I'd be ok with that."

Feeling a blush rise to her cheeks again, Mitzi looked away. "But we're not just going to hold hands, are we?" she asked, embarrassed. Then she remembered, she was angry with Edwin right now because of the whole 'master/servant' thing. Turning towards him, Mitzi fully intended on giving Edwin a piece of her mind, until his hands grabbed her shoulders and shoved her down onto the bed. "Hey, wait Edwin, I…" Mitzi began as Edwin's mouth closed over hers and kissed her, much rougher than before. His tongue snaked around hers.

Breaking the kiss, Edwin grinned down at her. "I'm glad I saved the best for last" he growled, kissing her neck as he reached down to pull her pants off.

Mitzi soon found herself doing her best not to moan too loudly as Edwin went to work.

* * *

Jenus sighed as he took a long sip of his tea. He was dressed in some spare clothes while he left his armor to dry, and now that he was by the fire with something warm in his stomach he finally felt like he could relax. He had gotten back to Shal'Aran just an hour ago with the others, and now while they waited for Edwin's group to return they were all drying out around a smokeless purple fire conjured by one of the Nightfallen. Jenus watched nonchalantly as Biyu crouched over the fire, stirring the contents of a pot she had set up. He had to admit it smelled quite good, if nothing else having this pandaren with them had done wonders for their overall quality of food. If the rations were being handled by Qiju or Grosh things wouldn't get more complicated than various small creatures roasted on sticks. That wasn't even racism, Qiju in particular seemed to love crunching on whatever he could roast over the fire, bones and all; snakes, rats, lizards, fish, birds, it didn't matter.

"Should be done soon." Biyu sat back against a stone pillar, putting her hands behind her head as she made herself comfortable. "I made some extra for Mitzi and the others. I hope they're ok."

Jenus smiled at her concern, she hadn't stopped worrying about Mitzi since they separated. "Edwin and Reni will make sure nothing happens to her. I can assure you of that."

"Yeah I know. There's just nothing else to do but wait. Wait, I know how we can pass the time!" Crossing her legs, Biyu reached out for her pack and drew it near. Rummaging inside, she extracted a wineskin with a pleased expression. "Here it is! Who wants a drink?"

"We just got back from trudging in the rain. Nobody's going to want to get drunk" growled Grosh, staring expectantly at the pot of food.

"Yeah 'mon! Let's get 'ammered!" Qiju cheered, taking his drinking skull out of his own pack and offering it to Biyu.

The pandaren hesitated only for the briefest moment before filling it up. "That's the spirit!" Biyu said happily, pouring herself a mug and giving Qiju a quick cheers. Both tipped their drinks back, coughing as they finished. "Wow, that's strong!" Biyu wheezed. "More?" Qiju nodded, and Biyu topped him off.

"Just be quiet you two" Grosh mumbled, looking annoyed. "Don't embarrass us."

"Excuse me!" Everyone turned to look as one of the Nightfallen approached them. He was clad only in some loose flowing pants and a scarf, his bare runed chest and bald head quite noticeable in the firelight. Jenus recognized him as Oculeth, the Chief Telemancer here with the rebellion. "I'm terribly sorry, I just have to know if I'm going more crazy than usual today. Is there really a panda person and a troll drinking together or am I seeing things?"

"We're pretty real" Biyu acknowledged with a nod. "Come on, drink with us! That'll prove we're not hallucinations!"

"Well, that's not necessarily true. I am quite mad" Oculeth said casually as he sat down and thanked Biyu for the mug she passed him. "I've had a good number of drinks with people I'm sure weren't really there."

Biyu grinned and pointed at Grosh. "Kinda like this guy here, right?" All three of the drinkers burst out in in laughter as Grosh fumed.

"That doesn't even… make any sense!" he shouted, grinding his teeth.

Jenus considered asking for a bit of a drink himself, he looked up as he noticed some commotion up near the entrance to the ruins. Standing up, he left the group behind as he walked up the stairs to get a better view. He saw Edwin almost at once, clothes splattered with mud while he spoke casually with Thalyssra. Any nerves that Jenus had were dispelled almost at once when he saw the smile on Edwin's face, and he breathed a brief sigh of relief. Jenus also noticed that there was a Nightborne Elf he hadn't seen before, answering questions with a pleasant smile as Thalyssra rattled them off. Feeling a bit confused, he approached the trio during a pause in their conversation. "Edwin, glad to see you back. Arcanist, good to see you as well."

"Hey Jenus" Edwin said with a wave as Thalyssra nodded. "Mitzi and Reni are both cleaning up a bit. How did everything go with your group?"

"Very well. We found out the dock location and the time of the shipment, but we still don't know exactly how much security there's going to be. Um… who is this exactly?" Jenus motioned to the new elf, who was leaning in and whispering something to Edwin.

"Oh right. Sorry about that. Jenus, this is Sabine. She's… well, she's defecting from Suramar. She's decided to tag along with me." Edwin grinned a bit awkwardly, and Jenus narrowed his eyes, not satisfied with that explanation.

Thalyssra looked towards Sabine and bowed her head respectfully. "And we're very fortunate. You've given us some very useful information. We will honor Edwin's request, you will be given one of the fruits of the arcan'dor. Even with that however I feel we cannot thank you enough. I see that you had to flee Suramar with only the clothes on your back. We do have some armor and weapons that would likely fit you, I'm sure we could spare a set."

"Oh, you don't have to thank me." Sabine smiled and grabbed Edwin's arm, pressing herself against him. "I'd do anything my master tells me."

Both Jenus and Thalyssra looked at Edwin, faces blank. He looked from Sabine to them and back to her again. "What did I TELL you about talking about that in front of people?" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"I… whatever the two of you do is your business, I'm sure." Thalyssra was rubbing her temples as she turned away, shaking her head. "I'm going to go discuss this new intel. Excuse me."

Jenus watched the Arcanist leave before turning back to Edwin himself. "Well. I'm glad your mission was a success" he said, glancing at Sabine briefly with a blank expression.

"Yeah, thanks to Sabine we got all the remaining intel we needed" Edwin said with a grin, his face still red.

"That's not what I was talking about" Jenus responded dryly, turning away and walking back to the rest of the group as Edwin started whispering angrily to Sabine.

As they made their way back to the campfire Biyu looked up at Edwin happily. She had her arm around Grosh and was offering the struggling orc a drink. "Oh hey, Edwin!" Biyu let go of Grosh as he gratefully scooted away and proffered the cup to Edwin instead as she looked around curiously. "Join us for a drink! Where's Mitzi at? She needs some too!"

Waving around at the group, Edwin sat by the fire and took the cup. "Sure, thanks." The group's focus shifted to Sabine as she sat down next to Edwin and leaned against him. "Oh, right." He introduced everyone, pausing to learn Oculeth's name, before motioning back to her. "Everyone, this is Sabine. She's going to be travelling with us from now on."

Lifting her hand in a brief wave, Sabine smiled at the group. "Nice to meet you. Is this your band of loyal followers?" she asked, looking back to Edwin with some excitement as she gripped his arm with both of her own.

"No, they're just my companions" Edwin said with a laugh as he tried to ignore Grosh glaring at him. "We don't really have a leader."

Grosh, Qiju and Biyu all looked surprised. "Um, does Mitzi know about this?" Biyu asked, glancing at Sabine before returning her focus to Edwin.

"Well yeah. She had to lay down some ground rules, but of course she does." Edwin looked into the pot sitting in the fire. "Hey, that smells great. What is it?"

"Just a stew I threw together, mostly leftover ingredients. Some runescale koi, bacon, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic and some other stuff." Biyu said absentmindedly, looking over Edwin's shoulder. She stood up, taking her wineskin with her, and rushed over to meet Mitzi as she came down the stairs with Reni in tow. She reached down and took Mitzi's hand urgently, walking back up the stairs. "Mitzi! I'm glad you're back. Come with me." Before Mitzi could even form a word of complaint, Biyu had reached down and scooped Reni up with her free arm. "You too. Come on, we're gonna have a girl's talk and a couple of drinks."

"What? Hey, let me go!" Reni shouted, struggling unsuccessfully in Biyu's arm. "Put me down!" Mitzi just looked back to their group with an uncertain look as Edwin waved them goodbye.

"They'll be fine" Edwin assured everyone as he turned back to the fire. "Let's have some food while we wait, huh?" he asked, taking a couple of bowls and utensils out of his bag.

As everyone began to ladle out and eat the hearty stew, Jenus couldn't help but notice how Qiju and Grosh couldn't stop glancing at Sabine. Qiju was already a little drunk and was clearly just leering, but Grosh had that same scowl on his face as he watched Sabine feeding Edwin a spoonful of food. "There's no fucking justice in the world…" Grosh muttered to himself, only barely loud enough for Jenus to hear. He reached into his bag and pulled out a flask, tilting it back and taking a long drink.

* * *

It was nearly a month later when Mitzi finally stepped back into Dalaran again, the sky bright and sunny. She breathed a sigh of relief as she looked around at the people bustling about. It was nice to be back to civilization again. The campaign in Suramar wasn't over yet by a longshot, in fact even now plans were being made to assault the Nighthold and stop Gul'Dan's plans. Thankfully, they had finally been given a few days off before any sort of serious action took place.

Biyu stepped through the portal behind her, looking around appreciatively at the sights. "Ah… I'm sorry! I can't wait! I'm going to go to the bar. I have a date tonight. I'll see you later Mitzi!" She waved as she walked off, not even bothering to wait for everyone else. Mitzi wondered how she could have a date already, it literally seemed impossible.

One by one the rest of the group came through the portal, Mitzi closing it again once everyone was safely through. Grosh and Qiju both muttered goodbyes to everyone before shuffling off, Qiju surprising Mitzi when he patted her on the shoulder with a brief smile. Jenus watched them go and looked around at the remaining group. "Well, I'm going to go back to my room to sleep until we're dispatched again. Good evening."

As Jenus walked off with an absent minded wave, Mitzi looked around to Edwin, Reni and Sabine. "Well. What do we do now?" she asked. Mitzi hadn't thought about it until just now, but she had no idea what they were going to do with Sabine. She supposed they could just rent a room for her, it's not like they didn't have the gold for it.

"Why don't you show me where you live?" Sabine smiled at Edwin. "I'll move my things in." She indicated her bag, the armor she had been gifted by the Nightfallen clinking gently.

"No!" Mitzi replied at once, crossing her arms as she turned and walked into Dalaran. "I don't think so. We'll find you a room somewhere."

"Seems like a waste of gold…" Sabine muttered, following behind with a pout.

After finding Sabine a long-term place to stay the four of them stopped at One More Glass for a nice lunch of wine and a cheese and charcuterie board. Mitzi could tell that Reni was getting as annoyed as her when men would walk by their table and stop to stare at Sabine for a moment before walking on or being dragged away. Sabine didn't even look their way but she looked rather pleased with herself all the same as she talked casually with Edwin.

Finishing his glass of wine, Edwin stood up. "Well. I wish I could stay a bit longer but unfortunately I have some things to do. Mitzi, Reni, maybe one of you could show Sabine around some more. I'll be back tomorrow morning sometime." Picking up a small chunk of cheese, Edwin gave Mitzi a quick kiss.

"What?!" Sabine's body sagged. "Why do you have to leave? This is our first night where we can share an actual clean bed!" Mitzi saw the young woman bussing the table next to theirs stop and look over towards Edwin, face red.

Edwin's composure took an obvious hit as he tried to ignore the waitress. "I'm supposed to make a report at Stormwind. They insisted I come this time. I'll probably just stay around there tonight." His voice was casual, and he glanced at Mitzi with an apologetic smile. "It's probably going to take a while, otherwise I'd ask you to come."

"That's okay. I'll come with you. If you'll be a while I'll just wait" Mitzi said as she smiled back.

"Well, maybe it would be best if-" Edwin began, his smile a bit brittle.

"Yeah, I'll come too if it's just making a report." Reni also smiled happily. "While we're out there we can see Mary and William!"

"Who are they?" Sabine asked, turning to Reni curiously. Mitzi saw Edwin shake his head at her, mouthing 'no' desperately. He tried to angle himself so Reni could see him while staying out of sight of Sabine.

"Edwin's parents!" Reni replied, completely oblivious.

Edwin sagged in defeat as Sabine brightened up. "Your parents? Oh, I have to meet them! I'm coming too, of course! I'll have to bring a gift, let me stop by my room!"

As Sabine got up and bustled off, Mitzi suddenly understood why Edwin had been so secretive about the whole Stormwind trip. He sat back down slowly in his chair with a long sigh.

"Oh." Reni looked from Edwin to Sabine's retreating back. "Oh. Um, I'm sorry Edwin."

"No" Edwin said, his voice strangely hollow. "This is the hell I've made for myself I suppose. I just hope mom doesn't lose her mind."

All three of them had a moment as they imagined Mary's reaction. Mitzi felt quite sorry for Edwin.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon as Mitzi finally saw the Ogden house come into view. Edwin had indeed needed to make a report with SI:7, which took at least three hours or more. Thankfully he was released well before dark, which meant he had no excuse not to go see his parents. Glancing behind her Mitzi saw Edwin trudging along, a scowl on his face. He had been like that ever since meeting his superiors. She slowed down to walk alongside him, leaving Reni and Sabine chatting idly up ahead. "Cheer up. I don't think that things are going to be that bad with Mary."

Looking up as if just realizing Mitzi was there, Edwin gave her a reassuring smile. "Oh, it's nothing like that. I just had to spend way too long explaining myself to dumb people back there. Every time it's the same shit."

Feeling confused, Mitzi glanced back towards Stormwind briefly. "What do you mean? What did they say?"

"They keep telling me that it's in the 'best interest of the Alliance' if I ceased contact with Grosh and Qiju, basically." Edwin smiled, though he didn't seem to find it funny. "They're not completely sold on Reni either but they do have some goblins in SI:7, so as long as she doesn't step out of line they're ok with her. But those other two, they really don't like me and Jenus going around with them. They tolerate it because we're given some relative freedom, but I can tell they probably regret giving us that autonomy."

Mitzi nodded. "I can see how that would be frustrating." As much as she hated to admit it she could understand where SI:7 was coming from. Even if Grosh and Qiju were perfectly well behaved and completely loyal to Edwin and Jenus, the fact still remained that their races were at war. It was easy to forget that sometimes, even now Mitzi had to remind herself that things in the real world weren't as simple as they were around the campfire with everyone. "So, they called you back just for that? To complain about the company you keep?"

"Nah, nothing so simple. I'd like to believe they wouldn't waste my time if it was just that. Mostly they just wanted a personal report about Suramar. Master Mathias has been very insistent on getting personal reports lately, it's a bit strange." Edwin sighed, kicking the ground as he walked.

Smiling back at Edwin, Mitzi rubbed his back. "Well you don't have to think about that for a while now. You just have to worry about demons."

"I think I'd rather fight demons right now…" grumbled Edwin as they passed the gate and walked up to the front door. He opened it without knocking and walked inside, struggling with his boots. "Hey mom, dad! I'm home!" he called as everyone else filed inside.

William was the first one to come around the corner, smiling jovially at Edwin. "Hey, it's been a while! Your mother is out back, getting some… herbs…" He slowed down as he noticed Sabine, who smiled back at his gaping mouth. "Um… who's this, Edwin?" he asked, weakly.

Edwin smiled back, a bit awkwardly as he gestured from William to Sabine. "Dad, this is Sabine. She's a companion of mine. Sabine this is my father, William."

"It's a pleasure." Sabine placed her shoes on the ground and approached William, smiling brilliantly as she reached out to shake his hand. "I'm so glad to be meeting Edwin's father. I can see where he gets his looks."

Blushing, William laughed gratefully. His eyes roamed down her body briefly as they shook hands. "Well thank you. You're quite lovely yourself. Will you be joining us for dinner?"

Reni cleared her throat loudly, frowning as William looked down at her as if noticing her for the first time. "Hello William."

"Oh! Reni!" William dropped Sabine's hand and took a step back, embarrassed. He seemed to notice Mitzi as well and cleared his throat. "Mitzi! I'm glad to see you too! You're… all going to be joining us for dinner then?" he asked, trying to rally. While Mitzi was a little upset it wasn't like she could completely blame him. Besides Jenus this may have been the only elf he had ever seen.

Edwin nodded. "Yeah, that was the plan at least. Is that going to be too many people? We could go into Goldshire to get some food if that's easier."

"No, no! That's fine! You should stay for dinner, of course! I'll go talk to her right now." William smiled at Sabine one more time and quickly walked out of the room.

Sabine turned to Mitzi and Reni with a look of obvious satisfaction. "He seems nice."

Not long after the four of them entered the kitchen, the back door opened up and Mary came inside, wiping sweat off her brow as she placed a small basket of herbs on a table near the door. "Edwin? Your father says you brought a new friend?" She stopped in place when she saw Sabine, her eyes widening. "Oh… I guess this is her" Mary said mildly.

"You must be Mary." Sabine approached her, smiling widely and holding a small cloth-wrapped package out. "Hello. I'm Sabine. I've brought you a small gift to thank you for allowing us into your home."

"Well it's nice to meet you Sabine." Mary couldn't seem to help but smile back as she took the wrapped object and untied it. Pulling the cloth down revealed a large dark green bottle of slightly glowing wine with a golden seal. "Oh my, thank you! This looks like some expensive wine, are you sure? Also is it supposed to be glowing? Is this magical or something?" Mary looked just a bit skeptical as she turned the bottle over in her hands.

"Please, I insist you take it. It's Goldleaf Arcwine, some of the finest in all of Suramar. It is infused with magic from the primordial powers of the Nightwell. I just hope you enjoy it." With an embarrassed look on her face, Sabine broke eye contact. "I know this may be a little premature… but I was wondering, can I call you 'mother'?"

Edwin audibly choked, his face turning pale. Mitzi felt annoyed, but judging by the way Reni's face went dark green as she clenched her fists it was nothing compared to her anger. Mary's expression seemed frozen in place. "I'm sorry?" she asked as she put the bottle of arcwine down on the table.

Reaching up, Sabine took Mary's unresisting hands. "I have heard that elves and humans can produce offspring together, and I want you to know I will do my best to bear you a grandchild that you can be proud of."

Still smiling, Mary nodded her head vaguely. She seemed to be in a small bit of shock. "I see. Um… I suppose if you want to call me that then fine. Sabine? How exactly do you know Edwin?"

Blushing, Sabine looked away from Mary. Mitzi noticed that Edwin looked like he wanted to die. "I thought I was protecting my people by agreeing to their decision to assist the Burning Legion… but Edwin helped me discover that I was wrong. After I met him he helped me see the error of my ways." Mitzi thought it was a decent little speech, until Sabine put her hands up to her red cheeks. "Then he ravished me, the likes of which I have not experienced in two thousand years. Never have I experienced such carnal pleasures."

Mary's face went from blank to red. "I… well. Good. I'm quite glad to hear that." She looked from Sabine's blushing face to Edwin's blank expression that welcomed death. "Edwin. I would like to speak with you outside please."

"Do we have to?" he asked solemnly.

With a nod and a friendly smile, Mary looked back to Sabine. "Well like I said it's nice to meet you. Please, make yourself at home." Mary finally noticed Mitzi and Reni, and smiled apologetically to them. "Oh, girls… sorry, I didn't see you. I'm very glad to see both of you. I'm going to be making some chicken for dinner, there should be enough for everyone if you want to stay?"

"Thank you, we will" Mitzi said gratefully. No matter how awkward things got with Edwin she wouldn't turn down a meal from Mary.

"I'm also going to make a lemon pie for dessert since we have so many people now, would you like to help me with that Reni?"

"Of course, you don't even have to ask!" Reni looked excited, bouncing in place.

"Would you mind if I helped you make dinner, mother?" Sabine asked pleasantly. "It's the least I could do."

Mary blushed a little bit as she looked into Sabine's face. Not even women seemed totally resistant to Sabine's beauty. "I-I would be very glad for the help, thank you." Clearing her throat, she made for the back door. "Edwin, I'm going to help your father with the vegetables. Why don't you come too?" Not waiting for a response, she left and shut the door behind her.

After a moment of silence Reni stomped up to Sabine and punched her in the side, making her yelp. "Mother?! You JUST met her! Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself?!"

Smiling smugly, Sabine looked away from Reni with a haughty expression. "Don't be jealous, Reni. It's rather unbecoming. Just because you haven't been able to muster up the courage to do it doesn't mean you should be angry with me."

As Reni looked like she was about to explode, Edwin stood up, his chair scraping the floor as the attention in the room focused his way. His expression was furious as he marched slowly up to Sabine, who was looking back at him with a blank look. Edwin's hand shot out and grabbed Sabine by the throat, tilting her head back. He didn't squeeze, just stood there as Sabine's breathing quickened. "The next time we are alone. You are getting disciplined." Edwin tilted her head back down to look into his eyes. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, master." Sabine's eyes looked excited as Edwin let her go, and stomped out the back door without another word.

"You know he's going to smack your ass raw for that" Reni said conversationally.

"Yes, he probably will." Sabine's whole body shivered as she let out a giggle.

* * *

Edwin stepped outside, closing the door behind him. He trudged over to the lemon tree, where his parents were currently having a lively discussion. That is, his mother was talking loudly to his father while he gathered lemons. Mary looked up as he approached and scowled, pointing at the ground. "Get over here. Right now. We are going to have a talk about your little… situation you have going on."

"Alright, fine." Edwin walked to the designated spot and waited as his father climbed down from the ladder propped against the lemon tree. "Uh… what did you want to talk about exactly?" he asked, innocently.

Mary reached out and twisted Edwin's ear painfully, making him groan in pain. "Don't act cute! What exactly did that girl mean, you 'ravished' her? What exactly have you been DOING out there? I thought you've been fighting demons but you've been… forcing yourself on elves in the woods?!" Mary's face was livid as she brought Edwin's face close to hers. "Well?!"

"Uh…" Edwin hesitated, not really knowing what to say. He just said the first thing on his mind right now. "Actually I never forced myself on her. Well, I kind of did. But I didn't rape her. Well, I guess it depends on your definition of rape. But she begged me for it, I swear!" Edwin hesitated, thinking over his last words. "Wow… that sounds bad when I say it out loud."

"You THINK?!" Mary asked through clenched teeth, twisting Edwin's ear even further making him whimper in pain. Finally she let go with a growl of frustration. "I cannot believe you right now. I… I don't even know what to say. William?!"

"Yes?" William asked, alarmed as Mary turned on him now.

"You talk to your son! Right now! I'm going inside!" Grabbing the basket of lemons from William, Mary stomped past Edwin without another word and slammed the door as she entered the house.

William and Edwin both stood there for a few long minutes, staring at anything but each other. Finally William spoke after a moment of hesitation. "Edwin. I have a question for you."

Bracing himself, Edwin took a deep breath. "Yeah dad?"

"I'm just going to ask you once. Is that elf with you because she wants to be? You're not forcing her to come along or anything, are you?" William still didn't look at Edwin as he spoke, looking into the sky.

Feeling a little offended, Edwin shook his head. "No. I asked her to come with me and she wanted to… well, it's a little more complicated than that. But basically."

Looking satisfied with that answer, William nodded and smiled at Edwin. "Good. I trust you. Forgive me, I didn't mean to doubt you like that, it was all just so… sudden I guess."

Edwin softened a little as he thought about it from his father's point of view. "No, it's alright. I mean the situation is kind of crazy."

"It's not normal" William agreed with a nod. "One more question. Is Mitzi really ok with all of this? Is Reni?"

"I…" Edwin paused, frowning at the ground. The truth was he wasn't 100% sure if they were. He was pretty sure Reni was in the end, but Mitzi seemed less certain. She had laid down ground rules for Sabine in the end and even seemed to get along well enough with her but still. "I'm not really completely sure, dad." Edwin remembered the last few weeks. Some of those nights had been cold, but with all four of them piled up it didn't seem like anything at all. One of those nights Edwin had stayed awake after the girls passed out, watching them sleep as they clung onto him, and had felt such an extreme feeling of happiness that he was sure his chest would burst. While he had reservations about all of this, he was also ok with protecting it for now. "But I think so. I think we can all make each other happy."

With another nod, William patted his son on the shoulder. "Ok. That's enough for me." The two stayed like that for a moment as William gathered his thoughts. "Son, I'm going to yell at you. If I don't your mother will probably kill me. But... " he looked at Edwin, eyes shining with tears. "I understand. So please, you go out there and have all the crazy sex I never can. Just knowing that my son is banging that ridiculously hot elf makes me so proud."

"Dad…" Edwin said, clapping his father on the shoulder, tears in his own eyes. The two spent a quiet bonding moment together as the wind whipped around them.

Taking his hand off Edwin's shoulder, William wiped his eyes. "Alright then. Let's do this." Edwin nodded. Taking a deep breath, William whacked Edwin over the head. "You stupid boy! You think this is all a game?!"

As William's rant rose louder and louder, Edwin rubbed his head and smiled faintly at his father.

* * *

It was late that night, and Mitzi could not go to sleep. No matter how much she tossed and turned she couldn't seem to get comfortable. Wrapping herself tighter in the sheets, she stared at the ceiling in a huff

Dinner had been pretty nice affair, all things considered. Sabine and Reni had helped in the kitchen while she and Edwin had some alone time to cuddle, and Mary seemed to be getting along with Sabine rather well as they chatted away. Dinner had consisted of chilled strawberry soup, fresh bread, baked rosemary chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, roasted brussels sprouts and of course a lemon pie for dessert, all of which had turned out delicious. After the plates had been cleaned Mary made a pot of hot tea, and everyone quietly enjoyed a cup as they let their food digest.

Everything had been going well, the awkward atmosphere of earlier almost completely gone, until Reni finished her tea off with a sigh. "Well, I guess I'll get ready for bed, it's been a long day... " she looked to Edwin and smiled. "Can I stay in your room tonight?" she asked innocently.

Sabine pushed her chair back, obviously about to say something, but Mary beat her to the punch. "I already have sleeping arrangements for everyone" she announced, crossing her arms. "Edwin in his own room, Mitzi has the guest bedroom, Reni will sleep in the study and Sabine will be in the basement."

"The basement?" Sabine looked appalled. "But mother…!"

"I have to stay in the study?" Reni's face fell.

"Oh… the basement has a spare bed! So does the study! You're not going to sleep on the floor!" Mary stood up and slapped both hands on the table. "Those. Are. Your. Sleeping. Arrangements. Are we clear?"

Everyone mumbled their agreement, and soon they were getting ready for bed. That was about two hours ago, an hour ago she had laid down to try and go to sleep and now here she was. For some reason it just seemed much too quiet in this room. Since her room was only a few doors down from Edwin's she had listened closely for any sounds of either Edwin leaving his room or someone entering it, but so far it had been almost completely silent. The only noises she had been aware of was the wind rustling the leaves outside and the sounds of her own breathing. For a moment Mitzi just considered closing her eyes and waiting. Sleep would happen eventually. However with a grunt of frustration she ended up getting out of bed, bracing herself against the chill in the air and tiptoeing to the door.

Feeling quite nervous, Mitzi entered the hallway and glanced around as she gently shut the door behind her. Thankfully Mary and William's room was on the first floor, but that didn't dispel the fear that Mary would rush upstairs in a fury. Mitzi made her way to Edwin's door, put her ear against it for a moment to listen for anything strange and opened it as quietly as she could.

Slipping inside Mitzi had thought she would find Edwin asleep like last time, but instead he was wide awake, a candle burning on his bedside table and a book open in his lap. Grinning, Edwin closed the book with a snap and put it to the side. "Well, I wondered how long it would take you. I was about to head to your room after this chapter." Lifting the covers to his left, Edwin gestured invitingly to Mitzi. "Come on. Hop in."

Smiling widely, Mitzi remembered to keep quiet as she made her way to the bed and slipped inside, snuggling up close to Edwin as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. "This is so much better. You're so warm." Mitzi just closed her eyes and savored the moment, burying her face into Edwin's chest. She felt Edwin kiss the top of her head and wrap an arm around her, and for what seemed like long time the two just enjoyed the company of one another.

Of course Mitzi should have known the moment wasn't going to last forever. The door opened slowly, making Mitzi and Edwin both sit up, and Reni entered the room with a small smile. She was wearing what looked like one of Edwin or William's old shirts that hung down to her knees. "Hey. I couldn't sleep" she said, shutting the door behind her without a sound. "Can I join you?" Wordlessly Edwin lifted the covers to his right as Reni practically skipped over and crawled into bed. "Thank you" she whispered, giving Edwin a quick kiss before shifting closer.

Though she was a bit annoyed that their private time was ruined, Mitzi had to admit that there was something comforting hearing Reni's even breathing. She felt her eyes drooping just listening to it. As much as she wanted to go to sleep, Mitzi was certain they would be interrupted one more time.

Less than five minutes later Mitzi turned out to be right. Sabine came into the room, dressed only in a black bra and pair of panties. She looked a bit annoyed at her and Reni already being there, but seemed to ignore it. "I'm sorry to bother you, but may I sleep with you tonight master? It's so cold in the basement." Sabine pouted, putting her arms behind her back to accentuate her breasts.

"Of course you can sleep in this room" Edwin said evenly, a slow smile breaking across his face.

"Thank you!" Sabine exclaimed eagerly, moving towards the bed.

"Ah ah ah" Edwin chided, Sabine stopping mere feet from them. "I said you can sleep in this room. Why did you assume you could sleep in the bed?"

Sabine's pout intensified, and she looked from Edwin to the carpet. "But, I…"

"Servants have to ask permission to come into the bed of their masters" Edwin looked like he was enjoying this. "Do all the servants where you come from just sleep wherever they want?"

Getting down on her knees, Sabine looked up at Edwin with an apologetic face. "I'm sorry master, I forgot my place. May I enter your bed? Can your pet please sleep with her master?" Though it still greatly confused Mitzi, looking into Sabine's eyes she could see the elf was enjoying this.

Sighing dramatically, Edwin nodded. "Alright then. Just because I'm feeling generous. Of course you're still getting punished later for your actions today."

"Thank you master" Sabine murmured, slipping under the covers at the end of the bed. She crawled her way up to Edwin as he leaned in and kissed her gently. Sabine settled down on top of Edwin, head resting on his stomach.

Reni leaned over and blew the candle out as Mitzi felt another bout of annoyance at all this. Sabine had further ruined any moment they may have had. However as the minutes went on and everyone else started to drift off to sleep, Mitzi had to admit a couple of things. For one, it was amazingly warm. The weather outside was certainly brisk, but even with a light blanket the four of them made enough body heat that it was nearly perfect. The other thing was that the sound of Sabine breathing through her nose combined with Reni's slow and easy breathing made her sleepier than ever. As she closed her eyes and nuzzled in closer to Edwin, she thought that maybe all of this really wasn't so bad after all.


	4. Biyu

"Focus, Biyu. You need to concentrate." Mitzi wiped the sweat from her brow as she watched her apprentice sitting on the ground next to a small metal bowl of water. Biyu was sweating far more than Mitzi, her fur noticeably damp as the sun beat down on her. However she didn't let it get to her, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes as her body relaxed. Biyu extended her hand towards the bowl, spreading her palm wide. She began to chant, and for a moment there was a weak pulse of blue light.

"Did I do it?" Biyu asked excitedly, opening her eyes and gazing hopefully at the water. She was dismayed when she saw that only a paper-thin coating of ice was covering the surface of the water, already melting in the sun. Standing up, Biyu growled in frustration. "Rrrgh, why can't I do it?!"

Mitzi sighed and stood up as well. "At least you made ice this time, so you're making progress." While it was true that Biyu was getting better with ice spells, there was no denying it was the school of magic she was the weakest with by far. When it came to arcane magic Biyu was actually quite skilled, she could summon portals, teleport and cast all sorts of arcane spells to defend herself. She was less proficient with fire magic, but at least she could use them effectively. However with frost magic she had always been particularly bad. Ever since coming back from Suramar they had spent their spare time trying to help Biyu get over her problem, but so far there hadn't really been any noticeable results. "I really wish I could offer you more advice, but I honestly don't know what to tell you other than 'keep trying'. You're doing better now than you were a week ago, you'll get the hang of it."

"Yeah, yeah…" Biyu kicked the metal bowl angrily and turned away, stomping off. With a frown Mitzi picked the bowl up and followed after.

Catching up, Mitzi looked disapprovingly at Biyu's face. "Was that necessary? I'm only trying to help you. If I was a less amazingly kind and beautiful teacher I'd have you meditate through dinner for that." Mitzi was pleased when Biyu's mouth twitched a bit, though she remained frowning.

"I'm sorry. It's just… it didn't take me nearly this long to get the hang of any other kind of magic. Why is this so hard? I feel like I've been beating my head against a brick wall for weeks now, I'm just so…" Biyu growled again, baring her teeth. "I'm just so fucking frustrated."

Not knowing exactly what to say, Mitzi just followed along in silence as they left the park and entered Dalaran proper. The truth was that Mitzi never had much of a problem learning most spells. She was a little slow in learning teleportation magic early on and it used to make her quite sick, but besides that there had been very few issues. Of course this wasn't exactly uncommon, lots of mages struggled with one or sometimes two schools of magic. There really wasn't anything much to do besides power through it. Not that Biyu would appreciate being told that again.

Thinking hard, Mitzi finally came up with an idea when their residence was in sight. She blinked in front of Biyu and held up her arms. "Wait! Just a second. I was just thinking… why don't we go somewhere tonight?"

Biyu sighed and rubbed her temples. "I wouldn't mind a drink, but I just don't feel like going to any of the bars here. I guess we could just go back to my room…"

"No, nowhere around here." Mitzi smiled triumphantly. "How about we go drink somewhere else? You've always wanted to go to some of the other Alliance cities, right?"

For a moment Mitzi thought that the idea wasn't going to land, but Biyu's hand dropped to her side as she grinned. "Really? That sounds great! Oh I can't wait! Let me go take a bath and change, I'll meet you downstairs in an hour!" Biyu hugged Mitzi tightly, making her uncomfortably aware of how sweaty her Pandaren friend was. Biyu dropped Mitzi and ran off, waving. "I'm sorry by the way, I know I'm gross right now!"

Wiping her face, Mitzi couldn't be too mad as she headed to her own apartment. Seeing Biyu excited made her smile, and maybe a night of relaxation would help to focus the mind. She just had to remember to drink plenty of water and watch out, alcohol tended to sneak up on her with Biyu around.

* * *

It was later while sitting in the Darnassus inn that Mitzi wished she had followed her own advice from earlier. The two of them were on their third bottle of moonberry wine now, and Mitzi was having some trouble sitting up straight. Biyu had ordered quite a spread of food including fresh fruit, rice, venison dumplings, kimchi, and a whole grilled fish. Though Mitzi thought it was going to be far too much, by the time the food hit her lips her stomach had demanded more. It wasn't long before Mitzi was stuffed, leaning back and enjoying her wine as Biyu finished off the fresh fruit.

"Ah, what a wonderful meal!" Biyu finished off her wine glass in one go, smacking her lips gratefully and pouring herself another. She sloshed the bottle around, noticing that it was getting near the bottom. "Well that's not good. Excuse me, waitress?!" Biyu raised an arm and flagged down the rather exasperated looking Night Elf waitress, who started their way with a resigned look on her face. Mitzi noticed that the other mostly Night Elf patrons (who were being much quieter and well-behaved than Biyu) were mumbling to each other as they watched Biyu lick her fingers happily.

"Can I help you?" the waitress asked, wiping her hands on a towel hanging off her belt. She motioned to the mostly empty moonberry wine with a nod. "I suppose you want another bottle of wine?" Her tone was noticeably disapproving.

"No, I think we're done on wine for the night. Do you have any spiced beer or something like that? I could really go for something a little lighter, so two of those if you have any. Oh, and I saw you bring out a bowl of what looked like grilled peaches with honey to that table over there. Can we get some of those too?" Biyu smiled as she looked to Mitzi. "Anything for you?"

Shaking her head, Mitzi smiled a bit apologetically to the waitress. "That should be it, thank you."

"Yes, right away." The Night Elf turned away looking a bit annoyed, but stopped when Biyu grabbed her wrist.

"I almost forgot to tell you. Please give my compliments to the chef. Everything was fantastic. And here, since you've been very patient with us tonight." Biyu took out a few gold coins and placed them in the waitress' palm.

"Oh, well thank you. My brother is actually the chef here. I'm sure he would be very glad to hear that. Let me get you those drinks." The waitress still looked a bit tired of being at work, but she smiled at them wider than she had done before as she pocketed the gold coins and bustled off.

Watching her leave, Mitzi sipped at her wine again. "You know she was being kind of a jerk to you" she said conversationally.

Shrugging, Biyu savored her wine as she sat back. "Look, I used to work in my uncle's restaurant every now and then when he needed the help. I know very well how easy it is to get pissed off at a couple of people for being too loud. You don't really care how tough of a day they've had, you've also had a rough day so you just can't help but get upset." Smiling, she tipped her glass back and placed it on the table, empty. "Plus, I meant what I said. The food was excellent. Especially those dumplings. That sauce was delicious!"

Mitzi was grateful that Biyu was finally acting like her old self again, and smiled back as she finished her own glass. "Well, you should take your own advice too. You can't let yourself get down because of today. You're doing better and better all the time, I know you're going to master frost magic soon."

The smile on Biyu's face didn't fade, but it did sober up a bit. She looked down at the table and sighed. "I'm sorry. I... wish I could focus harder than I am right now. I know it's no excuse, but I've had some things on my mind recently. Sometimes it's just hard to concentrate properly. I'm really sorry. I know that I'm not much good as an apprentice." Biyu still had that smile on her face, but her eyes looked overly bright as she wiped them with one hand.

"Biyu" Mitzi said soothingly, reaching out and taking Biyu's hand across the table. "If you were having problems why didn't you tell me sooner? What's wrong? Talk to me about it, ok?"

"But it's just something stupid. Nothing to do with magic." Seeing Mitzi's encouraging look, Biyu took a deep breath. "It's just… do you remember that guy I've been dating?"

"I know OF him." That statement was pretty much on the money. Mitzi knew that Biyu had been seeing some guy but she hadn't ever met him personally, only seen him once from a distance. She knew that he was a pandaren, and that he wore metal armor. That was about it. "What about him?"

"Well, we've sort of been dating since Dalaran was moved to the Broken Shore. We met when I was out drinking one night and we really hit it off. I liked how big and strong he was, and he said he liked how spontaneous I was. I thought things were going really good." Biyu poured the rest of the wine evenly between both of their glasses and took a sip from hers. "That started to change after I got back from Suramar. He started to get more and more distant, which just made me so frustrated. We had never actually fucked, just made out and fooled around a bit, so I thought he was avoiding me because he was shy or something." Biyu laughed without mirth and pounded back the glass of wine, glaring at Mitzi intensely. "But guess what, it wasn't that! Turns out that prick was already married! And guess what else? When I confronted him, you know what he told me? That he was 'really attracted to me but not in love with me' and that he was dating me during a 'rough patch in their relationship'. So you know what, I punched him in his fat fucking face! AND I told his wife! Sure we never fucked but I can assure you he DEFINITELY cheated on her!"

"Ma'am." Biyu stopped and glared at the waitress, who calmly put two mugs of spiced beer down on the table, followed by a bowl of grilled peaches and a small bowl of nuts. "I'm very sorry, but can you please keep it down just a bit?"

Biyu looked around, and Mitzi was painfully aware of everyone staring at them. Biyu cleared her throat and nodded, her anger mollified. "Yes. Yes, sorry. Thank you."

"It's no problem." the waitress hesitated, holding the tray against her chest. "But, one thing. I am glad you punched that asshole in the face. That sort of behavior is completely unacceptable."

"Thank you!" Biyu picked up her drink and pointed it at the Night Elf, grinning. "You know my pain, don't you?"

Looking away, the waitress gripped her tray a little tighter as she narrowed her eyes. "You could say that." Brightening up, she smiled back at them before gathering up most of the empty. "Anyhow, please enjoy!"

As the waitress wandered off, Biyu turned to Mitzi and gave a quick cheers with their mugs. After a quick sip of spiced beer, Biyu picked up a fork and tasted one of the peach slices. She sighed, contented. "I just love peaches. Mitzi, please! Eat some of these. Oh, and they put them over some sticky rice!" Biyu pushed the bowl towards Mitzi encouragingly.

At first she was going to decline, but looking at the fruit with perfectly charred grill marks, glistening with honey over the white sticky rice Mitzi couldn't help but pick up her own fork and try some. Mitzi couldn't help but sigh happily as well, they were absolutely delicious. "Wow. Amazing. I would never have ordered these. This is why I love going out to eat with you, Biyu." Mitzi speared another piece of peach with some rice, savoring the flavor.

"It'd be better with a little ice cream, but they are great" Biyu agreed, and the two fell silent as they finished the dessert. "So, where's the boyfriend tonight by the way? Normally by this time you're already gone to hang out with him."

Taking a long sip of her beer to wash down the food, Mitzi was reminded of Edwin for the first time in a couple of hours. She sighed. "Tonight is his night off. I'm going to see him tomorrow."

"Night off?" Biyu laughed out loud and took a sip of her drink. "You make it sound like you're a job."

"No, it's not like that." Mitzi was blushing as she tried to explain herself. "We just worked out a system, that's all. These last few weeks have been… interesting, but we're starting to find out what works. We decided that every fortnight we should have some personal days set aside. Edwin gets one night to himself, I get two nights with him alone, not back-to-back or anything, and both Reni and Sabine get a night with him alone respectively." It was true, these last few weeks had been a learning experience as the four of them had slowly started understanding how to make this work. Things actually settled down and become 'normal' quicker than Mitzi had imagined, but they were still tweaking the formula. This agreement to set aside days for example had been a recent development, one that Mitzi was looking forward to come tomorrow.

"Sounds like a lot of scheduling for that sort of thing." Biyu sipped her beer thoughtfully as she looked at Mitzi. "So, why do you get two nights and they get one?"

"Well, I am the wife." Mitzi thoughts her response was a little needlessly defensive, and she cleared her throat as she continued a bit more evenly, "Also, they both go out on missions with him more than I do. So that kind of makes up for it." Mitzi frowned when she thought about that. Sabine had practically become the sixth member of Edwin's group. Though there were times when she was left behind, mostly due to her armor not being the most stealthy, when Edwin's group was going into a dangerous situation they would usually bring Sabine along. Not only was she a quite capable warrior that could even utilize a few basic spells to enhance her abilities, but she was quite valuable due to her knowledge of Suramar's workings and by simply being a Nightborne Elf. Just days prior Sabine had distinguished herself on a mission by simply removing her armor and strolling into a building that Edwin's group had been planning to infiltrate wearing plain clothes. She had retrieved the info they were after just by pretending to deliver a message from Lord Duskmere and by bribing a guard with a mana gem. Of course Mitzi had to hear about how great Sabine was as everyone drank at the bar later that night.

"That makes sense. So… answer me this. How is the whole situation anyhow? Are you guys all getting along?"

Mitzi hardly even had to think of her answer. "Yes. Sometimes I'm surprised at how regular everything seems. I was really skeptical at first, but… things just kind of seem to work." There was certainly something strange about their relationship, but Mitzi couldn't deny that every day it was a bit more comfortable to be around. Sabine would make dinner in the evenings, and Mitzi would usually have some girl talk with Reni or just have a bit of alone time with Edwin before everyone got ready for bed. It was a routine that felt very natural.

"Hmm." Biyu sipped at her beer thoughtfully as she looked out the front doors, wide open to Darnassus. A light breeze was coming in from outside, bringing in the sweet smell of nature. "I'm really jealous, you know. You guys have it pretty good."

"Well it's not as great as it sounds. We have our problems too. That's why we're doing this whole fortnight business in the first place. Do you know how annoying a 4-person sleeping arrangement can be?" Mitzi frowned as she thought of some issues that had been cropping up. The most major issue was frankly the sex. There had been multiple occasions where various members of their group were woken up either late at night or early in the morning by the sexual escapades of others. Even Mitzi had technically been guilty of that, she had woken early a few days ago and convinced Edwin to go for a quick morning session that woke the other two fairly quickly. There were other more minor issues such as Reni's messy living habits and Sabine walking around in her underwear all the time, but those were more annoyances than anything. Mitzi had roommates before, back when she was an apprentice. She could live with stuff like that for the most part.

"I can't really say I do." Biyu looked amused as she pulled the small bowl of nuts near. She popped a couple into her mouth and crunched happily on them. "But tell me, the sex has been pretty good, right? You've look pretty satisfied these past few weeks, that's for sure."

Feeling a blush rise to her cheeks, Mitzi turned away from Biyu and coughed awkwardly. "Yes. It's been pretty good." As much as sex had become a problem at times, it was also undeniably one of the better things about their new situation. Edwin was like an absolute machine some nights, often making love to all three of them one after the other, or sometimes in pairs or all at once. While Edwin had continued to treat Mitzi gently during their sexual encounters, he treated the other two differently in their own right. He was much rougher with Reni, often flipping her over or changing her position forcefully without a word, and with Sabine he was the same as ever as he treated her like a sadistic pet owner. "Edwin is very passionate."

"Yeah, I guess so! You looked like you zoned out there just thinking about it!" Biyu laughed again as Mitzi scowled at her. "Like I said, I'm jealous. Does Edwin think it's weird? The fact that all of you… you know, aren't human?"

Shaking her head, Mitzi almost laughed. "No. Not at all." Mitzi remembered how energetically Edwin had made love to them last time and shivered. "Sometimes I think he likes it that way in fact. I think he just sees us as women, not as nonhumans."

"Hmmm." Biyu drank thoughtfully at her beer as she pushed the bowl of nuts over to Mitzi. "I see."

* * *

It was later on that night, and Mitzi was relaxing on one of the chairs in Biyu's room as she drank at a glass of water. They had portaled back to Dalaran, a bit shakily, and now both were coming here to sober up a bit before bed.

Biyu plopped down in the chair across from Mitzi and pured herself a glass of ice water, happily adding in a bit of rum and a generous squeeze of lemon. She began sipping her drink as she sat back with a contented sigh. "I can't believe I never had rum until coming here."

"I thought we were coming here to sober up" Mitzi said with a frown, feeling a little sick just watching Biyu slurp down the concoction.

"This is mostly water" Biyu retorted with a pout as she reached out and picked up a pack of cards. "Nevermind that, how about a few hands of poker? I'm feeling lucky tonight."

Seeing the smug look on Biyu's face made Mitzi sit up straight. "Oh? You suddenly think you can beat your teacher at cards do you? I admire your confidence. Deal the cards."

Over the next half hour or so, the two began to play increasingly tense games of poker. Mitzi was clearly winning overall, but slowly over time Biyu was getting into the groove of things, her poker face becoming better each time. Soon the two of them were nearly matched, Mitzi one win ahead.

"One more match." Mitzi had a good feeling as she watched Biyu shuffle the cards. "I got you this time."

Smiling back, Biyu placed the cards in front of her and cut the deck a few times. Then, she placed the whole shuffled deck in the middle of the table and put her hands together. "I was just thinking… why don't we make this next hand more interesting? It can be the last one, if I win we tie and if you win you're still undisputed master of cards."

Narrowing her eyes, Mitzi did not trust her apprentice for a second. "We're played to make things interesting before. I seem to remember you making me go downstairs naked to get a glass of water for you."

Giggling madly, Biyu nodded. "That was… that was priceless! The look on everyone's faces!" Seeing Mitzi's unamused expression, Biyu quickly calmed herself down. "Ahem. Look, how about this: if I win, I get to ask for one favor. You can veto the favor if you don't like what I ask."

"And what about if I win?" Mitzi didn't exactly like this, but the fact that she could turn down the request made her at last intrigued.

"How about a cask of my father's famous honey ale?" Biyu smiled triumphantly when she noticed how Mitzi perked up. "That's right. Only a certain number of barrels brewed every year to maintain top quality. I'm his daughter and I only get four a year myself, AND I'm his favorite."

"You… you hardly even drink it." Mitzi had tried a couple glasses of the stuff in question. It was divine stuff, sweet and smooth with just the right amount of body. Served chilled it was one of the best things she had drunk. "Hmm…" Mitzi was severely tempted. On one hand if she lost then she was going to have to do something really embarrassing. Even if she turned down something she really didn't want to do she would eventually feel obligated to do something that would likely be humiliating. On the other hand, she imagined herself sharing a cask of honey ale tomorrow with Edwin. Edwin smiling at her and telling her it was the best thing he ever had, then both of them getting drunk enough that they would start getting physical… "Ok then. Fine! Deal the cards." Mitzi was hoping it wasn't the alcohol talking. It probably was.

Her face slackening into her poker face, Biyu passed the cards out and picked hers up without a word. Mitzi picked her hand up, feeling a bit elated already when she noticed the Jack and Queen. She also had an 8, a 9 and a 2. Licking her lips, Mitzi quickly extracted the 2. She considered the 8 and 9 for a long moment but decided against it. She would have to try this gamble. "One card please."

Biyu took two cards out herself and dealt the three cards, once again silently. Mitzi felt a little smug smile on her face when Biyu's eyes looked slightly worried. Mitzi picked up her card slowly… and smiled widely. One of the two jokers was in her hand, which meant she had a straight. Not waiting for Biyu, Mitzi slapped the cards down on the table. "Straight. You?"

With a long sigh, Biyu took three of her cards and slapped them down. "Just three of a kind." Three 4 cards sat there on the table.

"Well, good game Biyu. I guess I'll just come by with Edwin and pick up-"

"Oh. Wait." Biyu smiled slowly as she dropped her other two cards. "Also two of a kind." Two 6 cards lay there on the table, clear as day. "You know… now that I think about it, that makes a full house, doesn't it?" Laughing madly, Biyu grabbed her drink and finished it off in one go. "Yes!"

The irritation Mitzi felt drained away when she saw how elated Biyu was. She stood up, stretching her body as she groaned. "Ok, ok. You win. Are you happy? We tied in poker." Relaxing herself, she reached out and finished her water. "So. What kind of favor are you thinking of? Something silly I bet. Prank one of the other girls? Maybe swim naked in the Dalaran fountain?"

"No, no… nothing like that. I know you don't like that stuff much." Biyu was acting a little nervous now, avoiding eye contact with Mitzi as she put the cards away carefully. "I was thinking of something… a little different."

"Sure." Mitzi waited as Biyu seemed to struggle for something to say. "Do you need help moving something from Pandaria?" Mitzi remembered the hassle of getting some of this furniture all the way to Dalaran, even with portals.

"No! I…" Biyu took a deep breath and finally went for it. "I was wondering if I could have sex with Edwin. With you there too, of course."

Mitzi just stared back at Biyu, unbelieving. Now she struggled for something to say. "What? Why?"

"Well I figured you'd want to be there too… it would be kinda weird if it was just me going off and fucking him" Biyu responded casually. She summoned herself a glass of water and began sipping at it idly.

"That is NOT what I was talking about and you know it!" Mitzi felt conflicting feelings of confusion and annoyance battling within her as she sat back down. "Why do you want to have sex with Edwin?"

Taking another few sips of her water, Biyu took a few moments to answer. Finally she put down her glass and shifted nervously in her seat. "I told you earlier. I never actually did it with that guy I was dating. Not only that, but it's been awhile since I had sex. That's one of the big reasons I've been so frustrated over the whole frost magic thing. I was just thinking… that maybe we could have a good time and I could let off some of this stress." Looking up, Biyu didn't quite meet Mitzi's eyes. "Remember, you can veto the idea if it's too weird."

"It's not that, it's just…" Mitzi frowned. "I don't exactly like the idea of giving out my boyfriend like that."

"Oh, come on." Biyu frowned and sat back. "It's not like I'm demanding him to come and fuck me. If he doesn't want it then we can forget it right there. You said he doesn't really see you as nonhumans, just women so I just thought… anyhow, what about Reni?"

Crossing her arms, Mitzi met Biyu with a firm gaze. "She and Edwin were in a relationship when they thought I was dead. Even though Edwin chose me I didn't want for her to lose everything she held dear. It's not like I was just lending him out to her."

"Ok. That makes sense." Biyu nodded in agreement. "What about Sabine?"

"Uh…" Mitzi hesitated. Sabine was much harder to justify but not impossible. "Well we did ask her to turn traitor to her people. It would have been rather cold to just turn her out onto the street."

"And the fact that Edwin ties her up and spanks her doesn't factor into that at all." Biyu's voice was flat and sarcastic. "I thought that you wouldn't have such a problem with this. I mean we're friends, right? You know me. I think this is just because I'm a Pandaren."

Feeling irritation creeping into her voice, Mitzi tried to calmly explain. "YES Edwin has some tendencies and YES maybe that plays a factor, but-" Mitzi didn't have a chance to finish her thought. A knock on the door silenced both of them and Nadia, another girl living in the building, poked her head in. She did not look amused at all.

"Excuse me. I am trying to go to sleep. Please, both of you do the same. Ok? Good night." Nadia frowned at both of them, and shut the door with a loud snap.

Mitzi looked at Biyu, and the two just stared awkwardly at each other across the table for a minute. Then Biyu brightened up, her smile a bit forced. "Well. Um, you don't have to decide right now. And remember, if you don't want to it's ok. Just think about it, or talk to Edwin."

There was a long lingering pause where Mitzi felt torn. A large part of her wanted to just tell her no, ask her for another favor tomorrow. However another part had to admit there would be nothing especially wrong with talking to Edwin. After all, it was possible that he would just tell her he didn't find Biyu attractive. Problem solved. Finally, Mitzi sighed and nodded. "Fine. I'll think about it. Ok? Not, 'yes, I agree', I'll just think about it."

Smiling widely, Biyu stood up and hugged Mitzi. "Oh, thank you! Don't worry. Even if you veto the idea I'm just glad you considered it."

After a few more minutes of goodbyes, Mitzi was finally able to slip out of Biyu's room and head to her own. She tried not to think about Biyu's proposition too much, but it ended up being the only thing on her mind as she got ready for bed.

* * *

The next day went by rather quickly all things considered. Today was thankfully a day that Biyu had for self-study, so Mitzi was able to go and handle a few errands for the Tirisgarde without having to deal with any uncomfortable silences. She was done sooner than expected, and after deciding to hold off on eating a bit for a late lunch Mitzi went to the park with a book to wait for Edwin and the others.

Mitzi wasn't at the park for more than an hour when a voice pulled her from her reading. "Mitzi!" Looking up, she saw Reni waving and running over, Edwin and Sabine not far behind. "Hey! Were you waiting long?"

"No, not at all." Mitzi put a bookmark on her page and stood up, kissing Edwin as he bent down to greet her. "How was everything on your end?"

"Ugh. Frustrating." Sabine looked a bit annoyed, and Mitzi could see that her armor was peppered with scorch marks. "We had to deal with a good number of those demon scum. Thankfully we met a few of the Illidari, and they were more than willing to team up with us. I'm just glad we can relax."

Edwin nodded as he stood up. He looked a bit worn as well, clothes disheveled and bags under his eyes. "Yeah. I just want to sit down for a while. Can we go get something to eat?"

After a bit of a discussion they all ended up going to a stand run by a large and friendly Tauren advertising kebabs, kodo and otherwise. Mitzi and Reni had taken up seats to the left and right of Edwin, leaving Sabine sitting sulkily to Mitzi's left. Mitzi and Sabine were both skeptical of the food, but Reni and Edwin assured them that it was better than it sounded. Thankfully that ended up being true, and the four ate their fill as they chatted casually with the chef. Mitzi noticed that a couple of adventurers, a Night Elf and a Human, sat down next to Sabine with grins on their faces and tried to initiate conversation, but apart from quick one or two word responses she practically pretended like they weren't there.

Stomachs full and in a pleasant mood, everyone decided to take a walk to aid in the digestion. Finally, after a quick stroll around the city, Sabine sighed and took hold of Edwin's arm. "Well, I guess Reni and I are going to head off. We were going to do a little bit of shopping. I was thinking of getting something for our night together." She leaned in closer to his ear, speaking in a barely audible voice. "Is there anything you'd like me to wear, master?"

"No, whatever you think would look nice." Edwin smiled back at her vaguely. "I have some things I'm going to make you wear, so nothing that takes too long to take off I guess."

Mitzi couldn't help but feel embarrassed when Sabine shivered with pleasure and leaned in to kiss Edwin passionately, making her wish they wouldn't do that sort of thing in public as people turned to look. Neither seemed to notice or care as they separated.

"Edwin" Reni whined, pulling on his armor. She was looking up at him, her bottom lip pouting.

Reaching down, Edwin picked Reni up in his arms, grinning back at her. "I didn't forget about you, babe." They kissed, and while the surrounding people looked their way again they didn't seem as keen about it.

"Thank you!" Reni said happily, hugging Edwin and kissing him on the cheek. Edwin put her down, and Reni looked to Mitzi with a pleasant smile as she gave her a hug as well. "Alright, I guess we'll see you guys tomorrow then."

"Have fun" Mitzi said with a smile as Reni pulled away. She was surprised when Sabine bent down low and gave her a hug as well. "Oh, you have a good time too, Sabine."

"We will." Sabine stood up and smiled down at her slyly. "Don't wear him out too much."

Feeling her face redden, Mitzi could only wave with Edwin as Reni and Sabine walked off into the crowd. Taking a deep breath, she looked up to Edwin. "So… what do you want to do?"

Taking a moment to respond, Edwin looked around and then shook his head. "Honestly, do you just want to go take a nap? I just want to go lay down for a while."

Nodding, Mitzi started walking with Edwin as they started towards his apartment. "Sure. I could use a few minutes of peace and quiet."

* * *

Desperately trying to regain her breath, Mitzi clutched the sheets as Edwin pounded her pussy. She was laying on her back, moaning as Edwin knelt in front of her and humped her harder and harder. "I think I'm getting there" Edwin grunted, reaching down to play with her nipples.

"I… I…" Mitzi gasped, her mind too blank to form a response. Then she felt Edwin's arm under her back, and suddenly she was being lifted up. Edwin's cock stayed inside her but Edwin was holding her in his lap now, hands on her ass as he raised and dropped her body over and over.

The two stayed that way for a minute, Mitzi letting out a little yelp every time Edwin plunged back into her. He kissed her, one hand slowly making its' way down to brush at her clitoris. Mitzi broke the kiss and grabbed Edwin, squeezing her eyes shut as she came. "E-Edwin!" As she squeezed down hard on Edwin's she could feel him come as well, overflowing out of her as he groaned in pleasure.

Both took a moment to catch their breath but of course Edwin was the first to recover, kissing Mitzi gently as he kept his cock inside of her. "Well. I guess I'm about ready for that nap now" Edwin said with a grin as he pulled out, laying down on the bed and readjusting himself. He pulled Mitzi close, kissing the top of her head. "Thanks for that."

Her breathing finally normalizing, Mitzi glared at Edwin. "You could have just waited for tonight you know. Did you really have to pounce on me the second we got back?"

"Yes." Edwin didn't even hesitate with his answer. "I'm sorry, but during lunch you got sauce all over your fingers and you licked them clean… I just had to fuck you after that."

Remembering her actions during lunch Mitzi felt her face going red. "What, do you just watch me all the time?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Mitzi felt Edwin's hand caress her back as he moved his mouth close to her ear. "You know how those guys always watch Sabine when they walk by? Undressing her with their eyes?" He began kissing her neck, starting at her earlobe and moving slowly to her collar bone. "Basically, I'm doing the same thing to you. All the time." Mitzi was lost for words, so she ended up just laying back and letting Edwin gently touch and caress her body for a while longer.

When Edwin finally seemed satiated he smiled happily as he lay back with his eyes closed. Mitzi lay her head against his chest and was just about to try going to sleep when she remembered something. Biyu. Edwin's arrival had completely driven her from Mitzi's mind, and now that she had been fucked there was really nothing else to focus on. She tried to drive it from her mind. She could worry about that later. However as the minutes ticked on Mitzi couldn't stop thinking about it. She looked up to Edwin's face. "Edwin?" she whispered.

"Yeah?" Edwin didn't open his eyes as he continued to rub her back.

"I have something I wanted to ask you. Just answer me truthfully, ok?"

"Alright then." Edwin sounded a bit skeptical as his hand slowed down. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no. Nothing like that. Just tell me, do you think that Biyu is pretty?" Mitzi asked, just getting it all out.

"Biyu?" Edwin's eyes finally opened and he looked at her with a confused expression. "Yeah, she's pretty cute. Why?"

"But are you attracted to her?" Mitzi hesitated for a moment before elaborating, "Like… sexually?"

Edwin looked up to the ceiling as he considered. "Well, yeah. I mean if you're asking me 'can you see yourself having sex with her' then sure I can. She has some great tits and a really nice ass. I mean, really nice." He was so nonchalant with his response that it almost made Mitzi angry for even worrying about it.

"I…" Mitzi sat up, looking Edwin in the eye, who stared back as he put his hands behind his head. "I was talking with Biyu last night, and the two of us made a little bit of a bet. I lost, and so Biyu asked if… she could have sex with you." Edwin's expression didn't seem to change apart from his eyebrows furrowing and so she continued, "Of course if it's something we're both uncomfortable with then Biyu says that she'll just think of something else. Nevermind. I don't-"

"Geez, that must've been some bet. Is this something you're comfortable with?" Edwin sat up too, looking at her seriously as he reached out and took her hand. "I won't lie, I'm not going to be against something like that. Actually it sounds pretty hot. But if you're not comfortable with it I'd rather not do it." Edwin smiled and pulled Mitzi in close, resting her head against his chest. She could hear his heart beating slow and calm.

"Well…" Mitzi stopped and thought. So far the biggest issue she'd had with Biyu's proposition was how Edwin would react. She didn't want him feeling awkward about the whole thing, or think she was strange for suggesting it. She hadn't really thought much about her own feelings on the matter. She suspected that if Reni and Sabine hadn't been around she wouldn't have even considered this, but then again if they weren't around this whole situation probably wouldn't be happening in the first place. In any case, one way or the other the idea of Edwin having sex with Biyu didn't honestly bother her. If Sabine wasn't enough to seduce Edwin away from her she doubted that Biyu was going to succeed. Mitzi made her decision. "If you're okay with it, then so am I."

"Alright then." Edwin laid down again as the two got comfortable. "So… when are we going to do this then? Tonight?"

"No. I'd like a few nights to get ready and I'm sure she would as well… we have another solo night coming up in five days. Why don't we do it then?"

"Sure. That sounds good. I'll get prepared myself." Edwin grinned at Mitzi as he leaned in. The kiss was long and slow, Edwin sucking gently on her bottom lip as he pulled away. "This time I'm serious. I actually would like to take a nap. I'm pretty exhausted after that workout."

Mitzi smiled silently as she drifted off to sleep. The Biyu situation was successfully pushed out of her mind for the moment as she nuzzled in closer to Edwin, enjoying his warmth.

* * *

It was noon two days later, and Mitzi was once again sitting in the park watching Biyu fail to freeze a bowl of water. She had managed to get a little better, making a frosty surface on the water that would at least hold together for a bit before dissipating in the warm sun, but her progress was much less pronounced that what Mitzi wanted. She hadn't yet told Biyu about her talk with Edwin, and truthfully Mitzi was quite surprised that Biyu didn't bring up the subject herself. Normally she was very forward about nearly everything, so this uncharacteristic avoiding of the matter at hand was sort of throwing her off guard.

"I think that's enough for today" Mitzi finally said as Biyu caught her breath, using a cloth to wipe the sweat from her eyes. They had already been out here since early in the morning to practice, and it wouldn't do Biyu any good to overwork herself. "Why don't we go get some lunch, then you can do some meditation and studying. We'll try this again tomorrow."

Biyu stood up, knocking the metal bowl over into the grass casually before picking it up. "Yeah, ok." She looked a bit sullen as she followed alongside Mitzi, the two looking for a place to eat a quick lunch.

"So… are you alright?" Mitzi felt a little concerned as Biyu hardly said a word. She could see that Biyu's eyes looked a little bloodshot. "You looked tired today. Were you up drinking last night?"

"No, I don't drink every night" Biyu snapped back. She looked sorry almost at once, glancing guiltily at Mitzi. "...I'm sorry. The truth is I was going to drink last night. I went down to the bar and after a couple of drinks that guy showed up." She scowled as she stared straight ahead, hands clenching and unclenching. "He tells me that he and his wife are going to 'work things out' after this whole Legion business. Then, get this! He doesn't tell me sorry, he tells me that this was a 'learning experience' for both of us!"

"Wow." Mitzi didn't know what to say. Some guys were assholes, she guessed.

"Yeah! So I threw my drink in his face and told the bouncer that he grabbed my ass. Got him thrown the hell out. I was so mad I didn't even want to drink after that. I just went and bought some sweet buns and ate them alone in my room." Biyu went from livid to slightly depressed as her face drooped. "Even though it sounds stupid, I thought he would apologize and tell me that if it wasn't for his wife we would've been together. That's all I really wanted to hear. Of course that asshole couldn't even give me that much."

"Listen, that guy is a jerk. Don't worry. You still have your whole life ahead of you." Mitzi smiled reassuringly and rubbed Biyu's back.

Smiling back, Biyu nodded. "Yeah. I'm already trying to forget about him. Why don't we go to that goblin barbecue? I haven't tried their food yet and it always smells great."

As the two ate a particularly messy yet quite good lunch, Mitzi was once again reminded of Biyu's favor. Mitzi had been waiting for a better opportunity, as it didn't seem very appropriate right now when both of them had faces covered in sauce, but she couldn't seem to stop herself as she placed a clean rib bone in the basket between the two of them. "Hey Biyu? I talked to Edwin the other day." Mitzi took a wet hand towel she had been given and wiped herself clean.

Biyu stopped, half of a rotisserie chicken in her mouth. She tore off the bite she was on and chewed quickly, washing it down with her beer. "Oh? Well, what did he say?" she asked, a bit nervously.

"He said he wasn't against the idea. We were thinking that maybe we could do this three days from now?" Mitzi was actually shocked at how not embarrassed she was. It was like she was asking Biyu over for dinner.

"That sounds good!" Biyu broke out in a huge smile. "Oh Mitzi, thank you! I know this isn't normal and I promise I won't steal your man away with my amazing sexual prowess!"

"Please. For the love of all that's holy could you PLEASE keep your voice down?" Mitzi growled. She looked down the table, at the three warlocks that were all looking back at them. When noticed Mitzi's gaze they turned back to each other, snickering with laughter.

"Sorry. Oh wow. Alright then, I have to get ready. Three days from now, huh? Got it." Biyu picked up a roasted ear of corn and attacked it, smiling happily between bites. "It'll be a great time!"

* * *

Those three days seemed to pass by unusually quickly for Mitzi. For the first two days both her and Biyu were sent out on a few missions in Highmountain for the Tirisgarde, and while she had a day off here on the third, she ended up getting a few chores done that ended up taking most of the morning. By the time she met up with Edwin it was late in the afternoon, and after going back to Edwin's apartment and taking a bath with him it was nearly time for Biyu to come over.

Edwin was sitting in a chair in front of a desk in the corner of his room, scribbling down notes as he shifted through a stack of papers. Everything seemed very informal, most of the notes in the stack were written on random scraps or on pages clearly torn from books. Mitzi gave him some time, she knew that it was best to leave Edwin to his own devices when he was concentrating like this. Picking up the book she had borrowed from Mary, Mitzi decided to read a chapter or two while she waited, laying back on Edwin's bed.

After a half hour or so Edwin finally put his quill up and pushed his chair from the desk, standing up with a satisfied look as he cracked his back. "Alright. Sorry about that. Just had to reply to a few notes. Noggenfogger won't stop asking me to shake down some people for him. It's really starting to piss me off." Moving to the bed Edwin laid his head down on Mitzi's lap with a sigh of satisfaction. "But I'm not going to worry about that crap tonight. So… what's the plan, speaking of? Am I dressed appropriately?" Edwin looked down at himself briefly. He was wearing a dark green tunic with faded gold along the edges, matching pants and a pair of dark brown boots.

Putting her book aside, Mitzi smiled nervously as she reached down and stroked Edwin's blonde hair. She thought Edwin was rather smartly dressed, normally he was either in armor or extremely casual clothes. "You look perfectly fine. She said she'd be coming by not long after sundown. She was going to bring dinner, but we actually went to the inn at Darnassus to eat and really enjoyed it. We were thinking about going there tonight if you want." The other reason they had chosen Darnassus was to avoid any possible meeting with Reni and Sabine. Though Mitzi had considered telling them about her whole arrangement with Biyu, she had ultimately decided against it. Mitzi didn't think this was going to go on for an extended period of time, and besides she WAS the wife, she didn't necessarily need to run this by them.

"Darnassus? Alright. I've never actually been there. Or Exodar, come to think of it. Maybe we should go there one night for dinner. I've never had Draenei food."

Looking out the window, Mitzi could see that the sun was just about out of sight, leaving the skies a dull orange. Now that it was almost time for Biyu to show up she felt quite apprehensive. True this wouldn't exactly be her first three-way, in fact she'd technically been in a four-way by now, but that didn't change the fact that Biyu was her student. While the two of them never exactly had a "normal" student-teacher relationship it did exist. Mitzi was just worried that she had crossed some kind of line. She had skimmed the Kirin Tor guidelines for advice on this sort of situation but had found their resources severely lacking in that regard. Mitzi sighed as she realized that this was far too late to be thinking about it.

A knock on the door made both Mitzi and Edwin sit up. Edwin got to his feet, striding to the door and opening it with a pleasant smile. "Hello there. Come on in!" Biyu brushed past Edwin and entered the room with a nod of thanks. Mitzi saw that Biyu had apparently gone all out, her hair was done up in a neat bun held together with a couple of lacquered sticks and she was wearing a sleeveless red silk dress that hugged her figure. Pink and gold flowers were sewn into the dress with brilliant, looping designs, and Mitzi felt a little jealous now as she looked down at her own more modest yellow dress. "Wow, you look beautiful" Edwin said admiringly, walking around Biyu. "I really love that dress on you. It really brings out your curves."

"Thanks, I'm glad you like it." Biyu looked quite pleased with herself as Edwin stopped in front of her. "You look quite handsome yourself. I guess you clean up pretty well after all." Both laughed, and Mitzi felt a bizarre sensation of being the third wheel for a moment. "Mitzi!" Biyu turned away from Edwin and ran up to her, looking her up and down. "Damn teach, you look good tonight. I can see why Edwin can't get enough of you."

"Thank you. And do not call me 'teach'." Seeing the same old smile on Biyu's face hadn't completely driven out Mitzi's nervousness, but it did give her enough confidence to give a genuine smile back. "You look great too. Edwin's right, that dress looks very nice on you."

Smiling happily to the two of them, Biyu clasped her hands together. "So! Are we ready then? I think you're going to like this place, Edwin. They have some amazing dumplings there. Do you like venison?"

"Sure. I'll pretty much eat anything." Edwin smiled faintly as Biyu began to concentrate and chant, willing a portal into being. Soon they could see the walkways of Darnassus through the portal's surface, and once it was finally stable all three stepped through.

A few Night Elves sentinels turned curiously as they stepped into the city, but once verified they weren't a threat the guards quickly moved on, unconcerned. While it was sundown over towards Dalaran, Darnassus was west of the Broken Isles, which meant it was just the last afternoon over here. The city wasn't nearly as packed with people as a place like Stormwind, but the streets were still bustling with a fair amount of people going to and fro. As Mitzi led the way to the inn, she noticed that their group drew a few glances from those passing by, and she couldn't really blame them. Most of the non-elves here were clearly on business of some sort, either clad in armor or riding through the streets or sky on mounts. Not only were they all dressed casually, but their group makeup must have seemed a bit odd to most.

Dinner ended up being a very pleasant affair. The same waitress from last time was also working today, and she seated them all with a smile on her face. Edwin quickly got things started when he ordered two bottles of wine, and by the end of the meal they had gone through three more. Though Mitzi hadn't drunk that much wine (for some reason she just wasn't feeling much for alcohol tonight) she was feeling a bit lightheaded now as they ate dessert. She was certainly laughing harder than usual at some of Biyu's stories, some of which she had already heard numerous times before.

Not long after dinner they were stepping back through a portal and into Dalaran. Mitzi really loved being able to cast portals sometimes. Edwin smiled at the two of them as he led the way back towards his apartment, a cloth sack in one hand. "That was an amazing meal. You were very right about the dumplings, Biyu. Also that moonberry wine wasn't bad at all. I'm glad I picked some up for Sabine and Reni."

"I'm just glad you liked it too" Mitzi said offhandedly. Feeling just a bit drunk and wanting some physical contact, Mitzi reached up and grabbed Edwin's arm, pressing it against her body as she held onto it. "We should go out more often. I was just thinking about it tonight. I can portal us to Exodar or Pandaria… I'll take you wherever you want to go."

"If you're going to Pandaria I can show you some good places." Biyu took Edwin's other arm as they strode along. "This may seem like a shock but I know the place."

"We should go out more, you're right" Edwin said, smiling at both girls as he strode along. "This was great tonight. And maybe we should go to Pandaria again sometime. I never really got to relax and take in the sights very much."

Before Mitzi knew it, they were back at Edwin's apartment. It was located near the craftsman's section of the city, in a building inhabited almost entirely by single men. Mitzi had been here a few times and got the distinct impression that every inhabitant kept to themselves. Unlike the building where Mitzi lived, the entrances to each apartment here was on the outside, and each denizen here used that to their full advantage as they would often show up and leave at all hours of the night. Edwin made his way to his first floor room and opened the door, gesturing them inside.

Excusing herself almost as soon as they entered, Mitzi made her way to the bathroom to quickly do her business. Washing her hands, she took a deep breath and looked herself in the mirror. "Ok. Let's go."

Leaving the bathroom, Mitzi saw that Edwin and Biyu were both sitting on the bed already. They had opened yet another bottle of wine, and each was sipping on a glass as they spoke to each other in whispered conversation. Edwin looked up happily when he saw Mitzi, and gestured her over. "Come on over, Mitzi. Have some more wine."

Shaking her head, Mitzi summoned a glass of water and sat down on on the bed. "I'm done with alcohol for the night, but go ahead."

"Oh, we will." Biyu and Edwin both giggled and clinked their glasses together.

"So, what were you two talking about?" Mitzi didn't know why but she didn't think that Edwin and Biyu would get along like this quite so quickly. In fact Mitzi was quickly feeling annoyed when she suspected that she was the one feeling the most uncomfortable right now.

"I was just asking Edwin why he agreed to all this. What he liked about me." Biyu looked from Mitzi to Edwin, expectantly. "Well? Do you just want to scratch Pandaren off your bucket list?" she teased, poking him in the chest.

"No. I agreed to this because I thought you were fun to be around." Putting down his glass of wine, Edwin reached up and brushed a few stray hairs from her face. "You're quite lovely too. And you have beautiful blue eyes." Leaning in, Edwin kissed Biyu gently. "I felt honored that you'd choose me for this.

Turning her face away from Edwin's, Biyu glanced down at the bed shyly. Though Biyu couldn't really noticeable blush Mitzi had a feeling she would be doing so right now if she could. "Well. You're quite the charmer, aren't you?"

"I've been told that before" Edwin agreed with a nod. Grinning slyly, Edwin reached down with both hands and grabbed Biyu's butt, making her jump and nearly drop her glass of wine. "To be honest though… you're quite beautiful, but I think your best asset is this butt of yours."

"I…" Biyu looked a bit uncertain as Edwin sat there, smiling as he squeezed her buttcheeks gently. She didn't seem to exactly mind it however as she put her glass of wine down. Biyu started rubbing Edwin's back with one hand, closing her eyes. "I didn't think you were such a pervert… have you been staring at my ass this whole time?"

"Look, you can't blame me for that." Edwin stopped and looked Biyu in the eye, a serious expression on his face. "You don't just have a nice ass. It's amazing. Probably the best I've ever seen." Edwin leaned in and kissed Biyu again, this time lasting much longer. Edwin's tongue entered Biyu's mouth as she pressed her body against his, arms wrapping around Edwin's back and pulling him in closer. The two kissed passionately for a minute, Edwin's hands firmly on Biyu's ass as she pushed herself needily against him. Finally they broke the kiss, Biyu breathing heavily as a luminescent strand of spit connected their mouths. "Hey. Biyu. Can I see you without the dress?" Edwin said softly.

There was only a brief moment of hesitation as Biyu stood up off the bed. She moved the two glasses of wine away from the bed to Edwin's desk before turning back with a sultry smile. Reaching up to her neck, Biyu began to loosen her dress. She shrugged her shoulders out, letting the red silk drop to the floor. Biyu stood there looking rather embarrassed as she put her hands behind her back. She wasn't wearing a bra at all, letting her rather sizable breasts hang out freely, her large nipples already quite hard. Her white panties were now the only piece of clothing she had on as she turned around and bent over slightly, putting her hands on the desk. "Well?" Mitzi had seen Biyu naked before when the two had gone to a hot spring in Pandaria, but now it was like seeing her for the first time. Mitzi had to admit, her friend was a bit sexier than she thought. Reaching down, Mitzi hiked her dress up over her panties as she slipped a hand inside. She was already a little bit wet as she began to tease herself by slipping a couple of fingers in her vagina.

Edwin got up off the bed, walking slowly over to Biyu and crouching down. He ran his hands over her ass lovingly. "I wasn't wrong. By the Light this is incredible." Edwin reached up and grabbed the waistband of Biyu's panties. She let out a little gasp of surprise when Edwin pulled them down in one go, exposing her moist vagina. Edwin grinned as he admired Biyu, reaching out and running a finger along her vulva. "How the hell did nobody ever tell you how amazing you are? I could sit here and just admire you all day."

"W-well… lots of Pandaren have butts like mine." Biyu was keeping it together rather well all things considered. "I mean mine isn't that special…."

Laughing, Edwin gave Biyu's rump an amiable slap before stroking her short, stubby tail. "Look, I saw a lot of Pandaren women while I was off in Pandaria. A lot of them were nice, but your ass takes the cake. It's the perfect balance between well-toned and round." Licking his lips, Edwin stared at Biyu's vagina, the pink folds peeking out amongst her fur. "And this pussy… it just looks so fucking delicious." Edwin buried his face in Biyu's backside, hungrily licking and slurping.

The reaction from Biyu was immediate. She gasped and braced herself on the desk, moaning as Edwin grabbed her thighs and pulled her closer. She stayed like that for a minute, arms holding her up, until she lay on the desk with a gasp. Edwin didn't even slow down now that he had greater access to her, inclining his head downwards to clamp his lips around her clitoris. "You… you're pretty good at this…" Biyu groaned, her breathing quickening.

"Thank you. It's easy when I have sufficient motivation." Edwin moved his head up to Biyu's left buttcheek, admiring it for a moment before opening his mouth and biting it tenderly with his teeth. "I really just can't get enough of this. It's more intoxicating than the fucking wine."

As Edwin continued to nibble on Biyu's ass, her immediate reaction was a fit of giggles. "What are you doing? Stop that!" she said playfully, swatting at his head with a free hand. However as Edwin continued, moving to the other buttcheek and playing against her fur with his teeth, Biyu's giggles eventually died away to be replaced with soft moans. Soon she was breathing heavily again, and Edwin's left hand moved up her thigh to her now quite wet pussy. He slipped three fingers inside of her, moving in and out as his pinky flicked out to play with her clit. Biyu was bucking her hips against Edwin now, moaning loudly as she buried her face in her arms. Edwin reached up with his free hand, grabbing one of Biyi's tits and squeezing as his thumb and forefinger played with the nipple. With that Biyu seemed to be pushed over the edge. She cried out, body stiffening before she relaxed and started panting heavily.

Standing up with a satisfied look on his face, Edwin reached down and patted Biyu's shaking back. "Are you ok? Did I hurt you or something? He asked, that look on his face falling a bit.

"No. No, not at all. That was just… very intense." Biyu stood up and faced Edwin, stepping out of the panties around her ankles. "I don't think I've ever had an orgasm so quickly before" she said with a grin.

Closing the distance between them Edwin kissed Biyu again, his hands moving down to her butt like they were magnetized. "Well, I'll see if I can beat my record then." The two made out slowly, their tongues eagerly exploring each other's mouths.

Reluctantly Biyu pulled away from Edwin, glancing briefly at Mitzi. "Not that I don't appreciate the attention… but aren't you forgetting your girlfriend?"

Mitzi felt her heart skip a beat when Edwin looked her way. He walked over to her, pushing her down on the bed in one move as he got on top of her. Mitzi's left hand was still in her panties as she looked up into Edwin's eyes. "Mitzi. I of course I didn't forget you." Edwin began kissing her chest below her collarbone, his lips brushing smoothly against her skin. "I'm sorry I made you wait, my love" he murmured, his hand slipping down into her panties. His hand engulfed Mitzi's, stroking it softly before gingerly easing two of his fingers inside of her. "I did forget one thing though, to tell you how beautiful you look. You look so damn good in yellow."

"Yellow… is my favorite color…" Mitzi said vaguely as she tried to focus. She felt like a fool for saying that, but she didn't know what else to do.

"Then you have good taste." Edwin smiled as he kissed Mitzi, pressing his body against hers as he slid his tongue into her mouth. They stayed like that for a minute, Edwin's hand in her panties gently taking two of Mitzi's fingers and plunging them into her vagina along with his own. He smirked as she moaned, and sat up. "Alright. I hope you're ready." Edwin stood, removing his clothes as quick as he could. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his erection standing up straight as he reached over and lifted Mitzi up by her armpits and placed her in his lap. Mitzi was very aware of his penis now, she could feel it throbbing as she sat right on it. The tip poked out from underneath her, and Edwin took a long moment to slide the length of his dick back and forth along her panties, making her pant. Mitzi was very much aware of Biyu in this position, who had sat down on a chair and was even now pleasuring herself with her legs wide open. One hand was pinching and squeezing her left breast while the other was stroking her vulva almost absentmindedly.

"I… I need to take my dress off…" Mitzi gasped as one of Edwin's hand snaked underneath the garment and pinched her nipple.

"I'm sorry" Edwin murmured as his hand went back into Mitzi's panties, gently rolling her clitoris between his fingers as she pressed her back against his chest, gasping even louder. "You look so fucking hot right now. I really can't allow that." Taking his hand out of her crotch, Mitzi was confused what he meant, but looking down she saw Edwin moving her panties aside before lifting her ass up and slipping the tip of his penis inside of her. With a grunt he dropped her onto his dick, filling her up in one thrust.

Mitzi reached up behind her head, holding onto Edwin's neck for support as he started fucking her slowly. He leaned his head down, nibbling her ear as he continued to move her up and down on his cock. "You… you meanie…" Mitzi whined, closing her eyes so she wouldn't have to watch Biyu, who had started inserting fingers into her pussy. "I… this dress is going to get dirty now…"

"I'm really sorry" Edwin huffed, though he really didn't sound like it. "I'll pay for it to be cleaned, I promise. But should really see yourself right now. You look wild and sexy as hell. It's amazing. Right, Biyu? Doesn't she look gorgeous?"

"Yeah. She really does." Mitzi opened her eyes and looked at Biyu, who was staring back with a smile on her face. Biyu stood up and moved to the bed, sitting down next to Edwin as he continued to pound at Mitzi's pussy. "I never knew you could be so sexy, teach. You're really getting pounded. You look like you can hardly think."

"I said not to call me teach!" Mitzi yelled, vaguely amused that this was the first coherent sentence she was able to utter while being fucked. Feeling strangely spurred on, Mitzi put her feet on the bed, lifting herself up and down on Edwin's cock as she let go of his neck. Edwin let go of her ass and slipped both hands under her dress, hiking it up above her stomach as he groped her breasts.

"Geez you're energetic today" Edwin marvelled, pinching both of her nipples. "I should bring Biyu in all the time to tease you, this is great!"

"I'll show you who's getting pounded…" Mitzi muttered, trying not to cry out when one of Edwin's hands began running down her stomach and thighs. She put her hands on Edwin's thighs to brace herself as she kept bucking her hips.

"Look at you go!" Biyu said in awe, sitting back and admiring. "You're riding that cock like a pro. I guess I have a lot to learn from you still."

Mitzi's snappy retort was interrupted when Edwin turned her head towards his and kissed her. He placed both hands on her hips again and began thrusting with Mitzi, their bodies hitting with a wet 'smack' in midair. Mitzi finally broke the kiss as she started moaning louder and louder, and she reached out and grabbed Edwin's neck again as her body tightened up. Edwin kept her in his lap, kissing her softly along her neck. "I love you" Edwin whispered in Mitzi's ear.

"I… I love you too, Edwin." Mitzi turned her head around and kissed him. As Edwin stroked her hair and she felt his throbbing erection still buried inside her, she felt her heart nearly bursting with happiness.

"So… are you going to take your dress off now?" Biyu was smiling at the two of them, legs crossed idly.

Suddenly realizing that she was indeed still dressed, Mitzi pulled herself off of Edwin's erect penis with some reluctance. "You really are the worst sometimes!" Mitzi smacked Edwin on the shoulder with a scowl. "Now this dress is all wrinkly and sweaty!" Feeling a bit annoyed she got off the bed, reaching down to pull the dress over her head. "And I know what you're about to say, don't tell me you're sorry when you don't mean it!"

"Uh… right." Edwin looked as if what he was about to say was completely ruined. "Well, I meant what I said. I'll get it cleaned. And you looked really sexy back there. It was pretty incredible."

Despite herself, Mitzi blushed as she pulled her soaked panties off. "I see. Thank you. I suppose it wasn't that bad then."

"Do you mind if I take a turn now?" Not waiting for a response Biyu crawled over to Edwin, stretching her hand out and grasping his erect cock. She moved her hand up and down his shaft, gazing in wonder at it. "You have such a nice dick. No wonder all the girls like you so much."

"The girls like me because of my charming personality." Edwin lifted Biyu's face to his and kissed her. "My nice dick is just a bonus."

As Mitzi got back onto the bed, her bare skin brushing against the sheets, she watched Biyu break off the kiss. Grinning up at Edwin, she pumped his cock a few more times. "Wow, you still haven't come yet. I guess I should fix that." Opening her mouth wide, Biyu engulfed Edwin's penis, slowly moving her head up and down.

"Oh shit" Edwin groaned, one hand moving to rest on Biyu's head. She continued bobbing her head up and down, tongue working vigorously as Edwin twitched and closed his eyes, savoring the moment.

Pulling herself off Edwin's cock with a gasp, Biyu caught her breath for a moment. She leaned down, gently licking Edwin's balls as she stroked his shaft. "I take it you like this?"

"You're… really damn good at this" Edwin conceded breathlessly as Biyu once again started enthusiastically licking his penis. For once he seemed to be the one at a loss for words.

"Thank you. I can tell you really mean it." With a smile, Biyu leaned over and kissed the end of Edwin's dick. "Now, I want you to come for me, ok?" Biyu put her mouth around Edwin's penis again as she started bobbing her head up and down, nice and slowly. Taking a deep breath, she pushed her face down until her nose was buried in Edwin's crotch, taking Edwin's whole length into her mouth.

"I'm gonna…" was all the warning Edwin gave as he grabbed Biyu's head with both hands. After a moment Biyu pulled herself off of Edwin with a grateful gulp of fresh air, wiping her mouth. Edwin flopped back onto the bed, breathing heavily as his penis sagged half-erect. "Biyu, you are amazing."

"Oh, I'm sure you say that to ALL the girls who suck your dick" Biyu responded playfully, though she looked very pleased with herself as she summoned a glass of water and took a drink to clear her throat before putting it down.

"Only the ones who do it good." Grabbing Biyu's shoulders, Edwin pushed her down onto the bed with a predatory growl. He knelt between her legs, lining up his dick with her vagina and rubbing it gently with the head. "Alright. Ready?"

Looking away from Edwin's face, Mitzi once again got the impression that Biyu would be blushing if she could. "Geez you move fast… fine." Smiling victoriously, Edwin wordlessly pushed into her. He stopped about halfway in as Biyu gasped out loud. "Y-You're bigger than I thought…"

"Well yes. But you're also nice and tight" Edwin said with satisfaction. He pulled out nearly all the way and pushed in again, burying his cock inside of Biyu completely this time. As he started fucking Biyu, slowly picking up the pace, he reached down and groped both of Biyu's breasts with his hands. "You feel fantastic! Your fur is so damn soft. I could fuck you for hours."

"Th-that's ok with me!" Biyu said cheerily, her face awash with pleasure. She wrapped her legs around Edwin's waist. "You're pretty nice too. Humans are so smooth all over. I love how it feels."

The two went silent as Edwin picked up speed before leaning down to suck eagerly at Biyu's nipples. She moaned in satisfaction as his mouth clamped around one, rolling the nipple gently between his teeth as his hand gave the other nipple a pinch. She gasped as he body rocked from his repeated thrusts.

Then, without warning Edwin stopped. He reached down and pried Biyu's legs off him, looking her in the eye. "Sorry. I can't wait and longer." Edwin moved aside, pulling his penis out of Biyu with a wet shlick, and with a heave rolled Biyu over onto her stomach. "Put your ass in the air" Edwin commanded, stroking his cock.

Biyu complied, drawing her knees closer to her body and raising her rear up high. "Like this?" she asked innocently.

Edwin wasted no time, reaching out and groping her buttcheeks. "I wasn't joking Biyu. I really can't get enough of this." Moving in Edwin licked the lips of her vulva a few times before nibbling on her butt again, his hands kneading the flesh like dough.

"You're such a freak, Edwin" Biyu chided, though she couldn't stop herself from moaning out loud and clutching the sheets as Edwin continued.

"Well, you seem to like it. I guess that makes both of us freaks." Edwin bit her once more, a bit harder this time, making Biyu yelp. He laughed, kneeling behind Biyu once again as he lined his dick up with her vagina. He thrust into her savagely, quickly building up speed as he gripped her ass firmly with both hands. "I don't mind being a freak if I can pound this ass!" Edwin cried triumphantly, rearing his hand back and slapping Biyu across the rump.

"N-no slapping!" Biyu screwed her eyes shut, breathing heavily. As Edwin reached down underneath her and began playing with her breasts again, Mitzi could see her eyes flutter open, a dazed look in her eyes as Edwin sped up even more, slapping his pelvis against her ass with every thrust. Biyu pushed her face into the bed. "S-slow down Edwin! I'm about to pop!" she screamed into the sheets.

Edwin did slow down a bit, but not by much. "I'm getting there too Biyu. Hold on just a little longer."

"Hold on!" Edwin stopped as Biyu looked back at him, shyly. "Can you lay down? I want to try something."

With a small smile, Edwin pulled out of Biyu and lay down expectantly. "Alright then."

Moving over to Edwin, Biyu crouched above his cock, which was pointed straight up in the air at her. She slowly sat down on it, rear facing towards Edwin as he positioned his cock at the slit of her vagina. "I figure you can still see my ass this way" she said with a sly grin as she impaled herself on Edwin's dick. Once again Edwin's hands went right to her rump as Biyu began moving up and down, biting her bottom lip in pleasure.

Looking away from Biyu, Edwin grinned at Mitzi and motioned her over. "Hey. I see you looking lonely over there. Come here." As Biyu continued to bounce on Edwin's cock Mitzi crawled over to Edwin, feeling like a snake coming to a charmer. As soon as she was near enough Edwin reached out and snagged her with his hands, pulling her on top of him as Mitzi yelped. Edwin buried his face in Mitzi's pussy, licking at her clitoris eagerly. One hand held onto her ass, pushing her towards him, while the other starting rubbing her up and down her leg. Mitzi moaned as she regained her balance, propping herself up properly on her knees. She reached down and put her hands on Edwin's head as he ate her out, making lewd noises as he started sticking his tongue as far into her as it would go.

The three of them rocked like that for a moment, Mitzi and Biyu both groaning as Edwin continued to pleasure them. "I-I think I'm about to come" Biyu panted, her butt hitting Edwin's pelvis with a 'thwap' every time she sat back down.

Mitzi felt Edwin's hand leave her body, though his face remained buried in her crotch as she held onto his head. Mitzi looked behind her and saw Edwin grabbing Biyu's ass again, thrusting up into her every time she came down. Both sped up as their rhythm started to synchronize, Biyu's breathing quickening and Edwin's tongue becoming more frantic inside Mitzi. Finally Biyu slammed her butt down hard onto Edwin and sat there, arching her back and crying out loud. Edwin must have orgasmed too because he finally stopped eating Mitzi out, pulling away with a gasp before laying back, breathing hard.

All three were quiet as they regained their breath. Mitzi moved reluctantly off Edwin, who only gave her an annoyed look but didn't say anything. Biyu let out a very long and very satisfied sigh, pulling herself off Edwin and laying down next to him with a smile. "Well, you don't fail to disappoint, I have to admit." Leaning in with a smirk, she kissed Edwin, who ran his hands through her hair as he kissed back.

"Well, I do try to please." Edwin looked from Biyu to Mitzi with a frown on his face. "Hold on though, we have a problem." Reaching out Edwin pulled Mitzi to him and kissed her as well. "I still don't think you've had enough yet, have you? You know… I have an idea. If Biyu doesn't mind helping me."

"What is it?" Biyu looked excited as Edwin leaned in and whispered something to her. Mitzi felt angry but before she could complain they separated. "Got it" Biyu told Edwin with a grin, standing up. Moving behind Mitzi she reached down with both arms and slipped them under Mitzi's armpits, lifting her into the air.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Mitzi asked with some alarm, uncomfortably aware that she was resting on Biyu's soft breasts. She squirmed, trying to get free.

Before Biyu could answer Edwin stood up, his cock erect as he advanced on her. Mitzi stopped squirming when he leaned in and kissed her softly. "It's ok. We're just trying something. Biyu is gonna hold you up while I fuck you." Without waiting for an answer he spread her legs, moving between them as he positioned his dick and thrust up inside her.

Mitzi gasped, her arms naturally inclined to reach out and grab Edwin's neck or chest, but of course Biyu was holding her fast. As Edwin started to fuck Mitzi gently she felt her naked skin sliding against Biyu's fur, she had to admit that Biyu was quite soft. This was weirdly like some kind of vertical bed, even Biyu's breasts against her head reminded her of pillows. She didn't have much time to think about much else as Edwin grabbed her hips, pounding her slowly but steadily as she was literally held up.

"You are so fucking beautiful Mitzi" Edwin groaned as he humped her harder. "I don't think I tell you often enough... How much I love you." With a determined grunt Edwin pulled Mitzi away from Biyu's grasp, repositioning her in his arms before continuing to fuck her.

"E-Edwin… I'm… I… love..." Mitzi stuttered, not able to get the words out.

Edwin kissed her on the cheek. "I know, babe. Come for me. Let it out." Mitzi just cried out wordlessly as she came, feeling Edwin's still hard cock inside of her as she relaxed in his arms. Edwin turned back to the bed, pulling Mitzi gently off of him before putting her down. He sat down on the bed, pulled her towards him and kissed her long and sweet. "So, how was I?" he asked with a grin.

"Yeah, you were pretty good today. Good job." Having been put on the spot Mitzi felt like her praise was severely underwhelming but Edwin beamed like she'd given him the best compliment ever.

"And you?" Edwin asked casually to Biyu, who was sitting down on the bed next to him.

"Yeah. Pretty good" Biyu confirmed, smiling as Edwin kissed her as well.

With a sigh Edwin laid down, getting comfortable. Mitzi and Biyu both lay to his left and right, snuggling in closer. "Yeah. You guys were pretty good too." He sounded quite satisfied as he closed his eyes.

Biyu's face was happy at first, though after a few minutes it slowly fell to a neutral expression. She sat up and looked at Mitzi and Edwin, Edwin opening his eyes expectantly. "Hey… feel free to veto this. But can we do this again sometime?"

Looking to Mitzi, Edwin raised his eyebrows. "Well?" he asked casually, like they were considering buying a puppy.

"Well…" Mitzi frowned as she considered. "I suppose… we could maybe use these sessions as motivation for your studies. If you pass enough milestones… maybe we'll schedule another night."

"Oh, thank you!" Biyu reached over Edwin to hug Mitzi. "I promise, I'll really buckle down on my studies!"

"You weren't ALREADY doing that?" Mitzi demanded, pushing away from Biyu with a furious expression.

"Heh, it's just a turn of phrase, oh great wise teacher of mine" Biyu said soothingly. Turning away from Mitzi she quickly changed the subject. "Anyhow. We have one more thing to do before bed."

"What's that?" Mitzi asked, curiously.

Lifting the sheets, Biyu showed Mitzi Edwin's still throbbing erection. "That." Smiling at Edwin and then back to Mitzi, Biyu leaned in closer. "Why don't we finish him off together?"

"Well… alright then. I guess I'll help" Mitzi replied, her eyes not leaving Edwin's dick.

As Edwin put his hands behind his head and watched Biyu and Mitzi both taking turns to lick his penis, he could only smile and close his eyes, settling back to enjoy himself.

* * *

Mitzi woke early the next morning, sitting up with a groan. She was feeling really nauseous right now. Her head was fine surprisingly but she surmised that all the alcohol must have been making her sick. Getting up out of bed, Edwin grunting in his sleep as he rubbed Biyu's back idly, Mitzi went to the bathroom. Though she tried to hold it in she threw up into the toilet, feeling a bit better now as she summoned a glass of water and rinsed her mouth out. After brushing her teeth and using the restroom, Mitzi let out a sigh of relief as she came back into Edwin's bedroom.

Edwin and Biyu were both awake now, sitting up in bed and smiling as they talked in low voices. Mitzi saw that Biyu's hand was idly sliding up and down Edwin's leg, and that Edwin very noticeably had morning wood. "Oh, good morning!" Edwin said cheerily as Mitzi closed the door behind her. "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, like a rock actually." Mitzi smiled shyly, realizing she was stark naked, and stepped quickly to the bed. She crawled in next to Edwin, grateful for the warmth. "Good morning to you too" she said happily, kissing him.

"So, what do you guys want to do this morning?" Biyu asked innocently. Her hand was on Edwin's knee as she began to move it slowly up his leg.

"I think we can all think of something fun to do together" Edwin said with a smile, reaching an arm out to pull Mitzi close.

A knock on the door made everyone freeze. They looked to the door as the knob turned, rattled for a moment, and then before anyone could react there was the sound of a key turning in the lock and it swung open. Reni walked inside clad in her red leather armor, stopping with a gasp when she saw the scene in front of her. Everyone just sat still for a minute.

Reni sighed, and rubbed her temples. "Mitzi. What the hell is going on?"

"W-why are you asking me?" Mitzi asked defensively, feeling just a bit guilty now.

"Oh come on, that's your apprentice! Geez. You know what, whatever. You guys do you, how about that. Edwin!" Reni turned her attention to him, setting her face in a serious expression. "We have a meeting in an hour. We all need to be there. It's pretty important."

"I see." Edwin's face got serious as well and he nodded. "Right. I got it."

Nodding back, Reni turned back to the door and began walking out with an annoyed pout. "Well, you guys clean up. I'll see you in an hour. You know where to meet me."

"Reni." Edwin's voice was calm and friendly, and it made Reni stop in the doorway almost on command. "What are you doing? We have an hour. Come on in. Close the door."

There was a long pause, but Reni slowly shut the door and turned the lock. "Why? Don't you need to get ready? And Sabine is waiting for me and…"

"Reni. Take your clothes off and get over here." Edwin grinned mischievously, leaning back to show off his erection prominently.

Looking nervously at Biyu for a brief moment, Reni nodded as her cheeks blushed a dark green. "Ok then."

As Reni stripped and ran over, Edwin grabbed her and threw her down onto the bed, hungrily kissing her as he attacked her breasts with his hands. "Woah, slow down there!" Biyu laughed as Reni started squirming underneath Edwin, mewling happily.

Edwin broke the kiss with Reni and grinned. "Can't slow down. You heard her. I have an hour. And three of you." Edwin leaned his head down and clamped his mouth over Reni's left breast, teasing the nipple with his tongue as he sucked. With his hand he reached out to Biyu's leg, moving his way up to her crotch. She let out a sharp intake of breath as Edwin slipped three fingers up inside of her, biting her bottom lip.

Mitzi watched, feeling Edwin's other hand already on her knee. While she was quite excited, a part of her wondered how in the hell Edwin had the stamina for all this.

* * *

It was early the next morning when Mitzi sat down across from Biyu. They had spent the previous day recovering from Edwin and doing some legwork for the Tirisgarde, and now they had a chance to sit down and give Biyu's frost magic another shot. The metal bowl stood waiting on the ground between them, the water inside still.

"Alright Biyu. Just remember what I taught you. Regulate your breathing and just concentrate." Mitzi felt a bit of apprehension now. While she was under no illusion that their encounter the previous day would completely cure Biyu she hoped that there was at least some progress. If not it might depress Biyu even more.

"No problem." Biyu had a confident smirk on her face before settling down, breathing slowly. Stretching her palm out wide, she gestured at the bowl and chanted. There was a flash of blue light, and Mitzi was shocked to see that nearly the entire bowl looked frozen over. The frost spread over the sides, almost touching the grass. Smirking, she looked at Mitzi.

"That's amazing! How…" Mitzi just stared in wonder as she picked the bowl up. It was practically textbook.

"Last night I stayed up late practicing. I felt like I was completely in the zone. It took me until two in the morning to make it freeze that much, but it was worth it to see your face!" Biyu beamed as she stood up, putting her hands on her hips. "I still have a ways to go. I tried casting a frostbolt, and it just made a pathetic spray of ice. But I'm getting there! I feel like I can see the end in sight!" Reaching down to help Mitzi up, Biyu's grin turned lecherous. "So… I got better. Does this mean-"

"Once you can cast a real frostbolt, we'll talk." Mitzi made her voice as firm as possible as Biyu whined. The truth is that she was going to use that as motivation for freezing the water if today had been a failure. Now that Biyu had suddenly taken this seriously she would have to move a few goalposts.

Biyu sighed as she realized Mitzi was not going to budge on this. "Fine, fine. You're the boss." As they began to head back to the Hall of the Guardian Biyu looked a bit embarrassed. "Hey, Mitzi? You know how you and Reni and Sabine all… hang out with Edwin together? Could I join in one night when I can cast that spell?"

Feeling a blush rise to her cheeks, Mitzi remembered the previous night. When Edwin had left her alone with Reni and Sabine they had all discussed Biyu. Reni and Sabine didn't seem to have much of a problem with it, though she clearly remembered the look the two had given one another. It was decided that since Biyu didn't technically want to be Edwin's mistress (or at least hadn't broached the topic yet) that there wouldn't ultimately be an issue. Both girls seemed a bit upset that Mitzi had a threesome with Edwin without consulting them but the subject was dropped without further issue when Mitzi apologized to them. All that being said, she wasn't exactly sure how much they wanted Biyu around. "Why… don't we all spend a little time together NOT in a bedroom maybe? We're supposed to go to his parents' place in a few days to have a barbecue. How about just coming with us?"

"That sounds great!" Biyu looked excited now. "A barbeque you say? I'll bring some alcohol in that case. Oh, and I'll bring some food too! I can't wait!" She gave Mitzi a promiscuous grin. "Plus I should meet the mom of the guy I'm seeing."

Mitzi punched Biyu in the side with a scowl. "Watch it. I can take it back."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Giggling at Mitzi's angry expression, Biyu followed behind with a skip in her step. "So, wanna get some lunch?"

"Ugh." Mitzi put her hand on her stomach. "No. I'm just not really in the mood. Thanks though."

"Well, you go lay down for a bit. I'll go do some self-studying in that case!" Biyu looked quite proud of herself.

"You're just going to drink, aren't you." Mitzi didn't even ask it as a question.

Hesitating for a long moment, Biyu just stared back at Mitzi. Then, still not speaking, she began to walk slowly away.

* * *

Edwin tipped back his ale, smiling as he sat back in his rocking chair. William and Jenus were both off by the grill which had been set up in a small shaded area. Right now William was cooking some sausages and ears of corn, turning them gently as Edwin watched. Sabine and Reni were both sitting with Mary, all three chatting away pleasantly as they enjoyed a pitcher of tea. Mitzi and Biyu still hadn't shown up quite yet, and Edwin just enjoyed the peace and quiet as he drained his drink. He closed his eyes and sat back with a sigh.

The sounds of people coming around the side of the house made Edwin open his eyes and he smiled as Mitzi and Biyu came into view, greeting Jenus and William. Standing up with a groan as he cracked his back, Edwin made his way over to them and grinned. "Hey! Glad you're here." After giving Mitzi a quick kiss, Edwin noticed the container Biyu was holding and motioned to it with a curious expression. "What'd you bring?"

Opening the container, Biyu proudly showed it off. White and green vegetables were scattered about mixed with some sort of thick red sauce. "Kimchi. I made it myself. I heard that you already had plenty of meat, and that your mother makes good desserts."

Bending down to sniff at the dish, Edwin was intrigued by the spicy smell. "Sounds good. I'll give anything a try. Mom made a couple of pies, and yeah I think dad picked up enough meat to stuff us all silly."

"Edwin, are Grosh and Qiju coming?" Mitzi asked uncertainly, looking to Jenus.

Jenus chuckles as he shook his head. "No. For one, they wouldn't come even if we asked. And besides, this is Northshire. Even if they did come over imagine if one of the neighbors came by."

Edwin nodded. "Yeah, normally we have to stay in Dalaran to drink together. Some places in Pandaria are ok with it too. Maybe we should all get together in Dalaran next time, I don't think my parents have been. Hey dad, how much longer?"

William turned around to grin at Biyu and Mitzi. "Not long at all. Once these sausages and ears of corn are done I'm going to cook some steaks and chicken. Probably another twenty minutes or so." Looking towards Edwin, William inclined his head to Biyu. "Why don't you go introduce your friend here to your mother?"

Feeling just a bit nervous, Edwin nodded and led them to the rest of the party. Sabine, Reni and Mary all looked up as they drew near. Sabine and Reni both waved at them, both they looked less than pleased to see Biyu here. The two leaned in, whispering to one another.

"Oh, hello Mitzi!" Mary got up and rushed over, giving the gnome a huge hug as she knelt down. "I'm glad you could make it." Standing up with a smile, Mary turned to Biyu. Her smile faltered just a smidge as she extended her hand. "I'm sorry, how rude of me. I'm Mary, Edwin's mother. And you are?"

"Biyu. Thank you very much for having us over today. Is there someplace I can put this?" Biyu held up the container of kimchi with one hand.

"She's my apprentice" Mitzi filled in, smiling just a bit awkwardly.

"Of course, of course. Right over here." Mary looked a bit happier now as she led Biyu to a large picnic table, Edwin following behind as Mitzi sat down with the other girls and poured herself a glass of tea. "So, you're just Mitzi's apprentice?" Mary asked, her voice sounding just a bit too innocent as she looked briefly to Edwin.

Placing her container of kimchi on the table with a satisfied sigh, Biyu turned back to Mary. "Well yes. I've been with her for a couple of years now. I've learned a lot." Looking a bit curious, Biyu furrowed her brow. "What did you mean, 'just'?"

Laughing, Mary shook her head. "Nothing, it's silly. I was going to ask if you were another one of Edwin's… girlfriends or something."

The reaction from Biyu made Edwin want to sigh out loud. She looked down at the table shyly, drawing a circle on the tablecloth with a finger. "Well… I wouldn't really say girlfriend…"

Mary however, did sigh out loud. She looked from Biyu to Edwin. "Really. Really?" she asked, exasperated. Biyu looked a bit confused, but Mary quickly turned to her with a smile. "Well either way it's good to meet you Biyu. Why don't you go talk with the others? I'm going to have a chat with my son."

Sensing that she should leave, Biyu nodded and shook Mary's hand. "Very nice to meet you" she muttered, giving Edwin an apologetic look as she scampered off.

Edwin really wasn't that surprised. He had forgotten to make a point to Biyu to keep quiet about all this. While it certainly did annoy him he hadn't exactly intended on hiding this from his family. He just didn't want his mother going mental every time he came over. "Look mom, I-"

"Quiet." Mary didn't look angry as she sat down, she just looked annoyed. She took a deep breath. "Sit down." After Edwin sat reluctantly next to her, she spoke. "Now listen. Believe it or not I'm not going to yell at you about all this. I don't think it would do much good anyway. Clearly you're set on…" Mary waved at the four girls all sitting around and talking. "...this, and if you haven't listened to me I doubt you will. But I have two things I want to talk with you about. The first… is you getting a house."

"A house?" Edwin felt his face slacken with confusion. This was the last thing he had expected.

"Yes. Listen, even without Biyu there you still have three ladies with you. Are you really planning to come and stay at your parents' house every time you have a day off?"

"Uh…" Edwin thought quickly. He had never really considered such a thing "Well, I mean I do have an apartment in Dalaran…"

"And how well is that going to work out if Sabine has that baby she clearly wants?" Mary scowled at Edwin. "Not only that but considering how things are going, what if another woman ends up following you? You need to start considering making some sort of home for yourselves." Seeing Edwin's frown Mary's expression softened. "Oh it's not that your father and I don't want to see you, and I enjoy time with the girls. But you can't exactly start a family here with us. I don't think it would be very fair to all of them." Leaning forward, Mary kissed Edwin's forehead. "You can always leave grandchildren with us other the weekend though."

With a sigh, Edwin nodded. In truth this was something on the back of his mind for a while now. However with all the Legion madness it was hard to focus on such things on his off days. "Alright. I'll start looking into some options." Edwin meant it, the thought of Sabine getting pregnant and then having to stay at his parents' house was something he did not want to think about.

"There's one other thing." Mary looked a good bit more uncomfortable as she looked down at her lap. "I… I worry about you sometimes Edwin. You all seem quite happy together, but sometimes I wonder if what you have is… wrong."

"Excuse me?" Edwin found a dangerous note creeping into his voice. He hadn't meant to, but this sounded like it was going to piss him off.

"Look, I just want you to go and talk with someone about all of this, ok?" Mary looked a bit more relaxed now that she was getting it out. "Do you remember the priest we used to go to for Sunday services? Father Barclay?"

The feeling of anger in Edwin was quickly replaced with one of looming dread. "Yes. I remember Father Barclay." The bastard was one of the most annoying people from Edwin's youth. A priest seemingly designed to give guilt trips and lectures to any child unlucky enough to wander near. "Does it have to be him?"

"Yes." Mary looked unwavering on this topic. Edwin had a sinking feeling it was going to be like this, while Mary did not seem to exactly like Father Barclay all the time she did at least respect his devotion to the Light. When Edwin was younger he had to sit through a number of lectures from the priest whenever Mary felt like her own talks weren't good enough. "I sent him a letter a week or so ago. He said he would be willing to talk to you if you came by. So I want you to go and speak with him about all this." Mary's face softened a bit and she put a comforting hand on Edwin's shoulder. "But… even if he doesn't approve, I know that won't stop you. Your father and I will always love you, Edwin. I just want you to be sure of what you're doing."

Letting out a weary sigh, Edwin's shoulders drooped. "Fine. I'll go talk with him."

"Good." Mary patted Edwin on the shoulder with a smile. "Ok then. Why don't we go and check on the food? Your father should be done soon."

Nodding, Edwin got up and followed his mother. With some effort he pushed the upcoming meeting with Father Barclay out of his mind to focus on the food.

* * *

It was late one night in Netherlight Temple when Melkhen, a Draenei priest, finished his prayers. He felt exhausted as he made his way through the main hall and towards his living quarters. Today he had been busy nonstop, assisting a larger force in Stormheim who were battling against some of the uprising Vrykul. He was the wielder of Light's Wrath, a holy staff of immense power, and had brought holy flaming justice to all those foolish enough to get in his way. Now that everything was over however he was looking forward to having a hot meal, but of course he still had his sister to worry about. He just hoped she wasn't causing any trouble.

There was some commotion coming from the portal to Dalaran. Nothing extreme, but a number of people were turning curiously to mumble at something as it passed. Craning his neck to look over the crowd, Melkhen saw what was causing a stir. A human was being led through the hall by High Priestess Ishanah, clad in dark leather armor. Melkhen knew the man instantly, those who wielded these items of power tended to at least be aware of one another, and even if he didn't have those daggers Melkhen would know this man by reputation alone. This was Edwin, supposedly one of those most dangerous killers around that had showed up to fight the Legion. Melkhen had heard people say that they were glad Edwin was on their side and he understood, he had seen Edwin's group of cutthroats once and had wanted no part of them.

Of course that was all the more reason for Melkhen to become interested, and he followed behind Edwin curiously. It was only now that Melkhen noticed a rather plain-looking man in a brown robe following Edwin closely. He looked around the temple wildly, clearly uncomfortable with the various species scattered about looking their way. Melkhen ignored the man as he sped up, walking past Edwin without a word as he caught up to Ishanah. "Priestess. My apologies, but what exactly is going on here?"

"Ah. Melkhen." Ishanah nodded to him. "I assume you know Edwin here. Do you remember that little favor their group did for us in Val'Sharah a few months ago? They saved Katrina when she nearly become overwhelmed."

Melkhen nodded. There was no way he could forget. Katrina was the Worgen woman who wielded T'uure, Beacon of the Naaru, another powerful staff of great holy power. The paladins she had been sent out with were nearly all been wiped out when they were ambushed by a force of nightmare-corrupted creatures. According to Katrina, Edwin and his group had showed up when all hope seemed lost, quickly cutting down their foes and saving who they could. "Of course. But what does that have to do with anything?"

Ishanah gestured towards Edwin, who looked like he didn't appreciate being talked of like this. "I told him that we owed them a favor. He came to me today saying that he wants to cash in said favor. Don't worry, I made him leave all weapons outside of the temple."

Looking to Edwin this time, Melkhen scowled. He didn't exactly trust Edwin, no matter how many people he'd saved. He had heard quite a few rumors regarding this man, after all. "Well, what exactly have you come here for then?"

"I just want to talk with the Naaru here. I think they said her name is… Sarah?" Edwin asked, uncertainly.

"Saa'ra" Melkhen corrected. "And why exactly do you want to speak with her?" He immediately distrusted this man.

"Sorry, but I don't believe that's any of your business." Edwin smiled apologetically. "Plus, I really don't want to repeat myself multiple times. I'd rather just ask the source directly. Let's just say that Father Barclay and I have a disagreement that we need sorted out, so we're both appealing to a higher court."

Flicking his eyes to the man behind Edwin, Melkhen inclined his head. He wasn't exactly surprised that Edwin hadn't talked. "And you sir? I am Melkhen, one of the members of this temple. May I ask your name?"

"Father Barclay. Allan Barclay." While the man looked very nervous, he straightened himself up with righteous anger. Melkhen got the impression he had never seen a Draenei before. "I have come to discuss this matter with Edwin and put down these… fanciful notions he seems to have!"

"Oh, Good then." Melkhen didn't quite get it, but he nodded anyhow.

As they drew nearer to the back of the temple, Melkhen could see the large form of Saa'ra floating above a raised portion of the ground. Even the curious people following Edwin's arrival had tapered off, not wishing to interrupt any business they might have with the Naaru. A few attendants were stationed about, praying as they eyed Edwin warily. Father Barclay was gaping openly up at Saa'ra, pure wonderment in his eyes. It shone in midair, its' strange and ethereal symbol-like body glowing with a soft white and purple light. "By the Light! What… what is this creature? This feeling… I feel such divine radiance…"

Edwin looked far less impressed as he glanced around at the priests staring back at him. "Yeah those are Naaru. We met one of those in Shattrath. They're like, living glowing holy symbols or something. Priests seem to think they're the bee's knees."

"The Naaru" Melkhen explained, feeling annoyed, "Are a race of holy creatures closely attuned to the Light. It is through them that we Draenei channel our holy power. They are wise and kind creatures that have existed since the Dawn of Creation."

"Yup." Edwin nodded, clearly disinterested. "Pretty cool."

"Well, it seems like the two of you are getting along." Melkhen turned to Ishanah, who nodded back at him. "I'm afraid I have some things to attend to. I trust I can leave these two with you Melkhen?"

The feeling of annoyance intensified as Melkhen scowled. He was very obviously getting these two pawned off onto him. "...Very well. I will make sure they ask their questions and leave." Ishanah bowed her head in thanks before giving Edwin and Father Barclay a quick word of farewell.

"So… do I just ask it my question then?" Edwin asked uncertainly. "Do I have to yell or something?"

"'It' can hear you quite clearly. Saa'ra has been listening to you since you came into this temple I imagine." Melkhen felt an active dislike in regards to Edwin's irreverence of the Naaru. He turned to Saa'ra and knelt down on one knee. Though he considered this a waste of time he would see this through. "Great Saa'ra," he said to the Naaru, raising his voice just a bit. "I do not mean to trouble you, but I bring these two humans who wish to speak with you."

"I know of their desire" came the twinkling, ethereal voice of Saa'ra. "Step forward Edwin Ogden and Allan Barclay. I will offer what counsel I can." Both men took a few steps closer, standing straight. "Please, tell me what troubles you."

At once, both Edwin and Father Barclay began to speak. Both raised their voices to be heard over the other, and Melkhen found his patience wearing thin. "Gentlemen!" he shouted, louder than he meant to as the two turned to look at him. Clearing his throat in embarrassment as the attendants glanced his way, he went on in a more normal tone of voice, "I think it would be easier if you went one at a time perhaps? Father Barclay. Perhaps you could go first."

"Yes. Thank you." Barclay looked back to Saa'ra as he too cleared his throat, Edwin looking annoyed that he was going second. "Well, as you know I am Allan Barclay, and I have served in numerous churches across Westfall over my life. Many men have learned of the Light under my watchful eye, in fact Edwin here is one such lad that I hoped had learned my teachings. I shall get right to the point however. This man here," Father Barclay stabbed a finger at Edwin, "is living a life of sin! Of depravity! I've attempted to tell him the error of his ways but he continues to argue like a stubborn child. He seems to honestly believe that his… slovenly behavior is nothing important!"

"I see." Saa'ra was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "What sin do you speak of exactly?"

"Carnal relations!" Father Barclay cried out, furious. "Wanton acts of sexual deviancy! Do you know what this man is doing?! Sleeping with multiple women a day, exacting his lustful fantasies on all manner of demihumans! I tried to reason with the boy, tell him the truth about the lascivious deeds he performs but my words just fall on deaf ears. Please, if you are a being of the Light tell this boy how his actions damn his soul!"

Everyone in the room looked to Edwin in shocked silence. He looked a bit pale, but surprisingly to Melkhen he remained stoic in the face of everyone's gazes. Two of the attendants, a female Dwarf and a female Human, had moved close and were whispering to each other as they stared at Edwin.

"Yes, I understand" was all Saa'ra said.

"I guess I'll go then." Edwin shifted his feet nervously. "Well, what he said is technically true. I've been sleeping with the girl I love, a gnome named Mitzi who I want to make my wife. But I've also been sleeping with Reni, my goblin partner that I also love. Then there's Sabine, we have some pretty sex. I love her too. And then there's Biyu, she's more of a friend of Mitzi's that we have sex with."

"You mean that you're cheating on the woman you wish to marry?" Melkhen stood out of his kneeling position, frowning at Edwin. He could immediately see why Father Barclay had been so opposed to this. "THIS is why you've come to waste our time?"

"You see?!" Father Barclay looked around the room incredulously as the various attendants began to murmur noticeably to each other. "How could I possibly countenance this?!"

"Can I finish? I thought we were both supposed to have a turn." Edwin glared at the both of them before turning back to Saa'ra, taking a deep breath to settle his nerves. "Anyhow. Like I was saying, yes, I'm sleeping with all of them. But I'm not cheating on Mitzi. We've both agreed to this arrangement. All four of us have in fact. I don't just sleep with any random slut, I'm loyal to the four of them."

Laughing humorlessly, Father Barclay looked from Saa'ra to Edwin. "And? Tell them the last part too! Is that enough women for you?!"

Scratching the back of his head, Edwin looked down at the ground a bit embarrassed. "Well… I was just saying that if some new girl shows up and gets along with everyone… I'm not gonna say no…"

"Do you see?!" Father Barclay was livid, face red. "I can't even get through to him. I don't even know what to say! Please, even as small as I am I can feel your connection to the Light. Talk some sense into this boy!"

Melkhen gritted his teeth in frustration. He had half a mind to grab Edwin by the collar and drag him out of here. This had wasted enough time as is. However Saa'ra glowed gently, the voice as calm and serene as always. "I think I understand the problem. Yes. Edwin, come closer."

"Uh, why?" Edwin looked uncertain as he gazed around at the disapproving faces.

"I wish to see into your heart. Come forward, open yourself to me. Let me see who you truly are." Edwin shrugged, and walked closer to Saa'ra. The Naaru glowed brightly, the purple edges of the creature giving away to a brilliant white light. Edwin was bathed in the radiance, and Melkhen saw him close his eyes with a small smile.

Things were quiet for a moment, and then Saa'ra's glow subsided. Edwin took a deep, grateful breath, and looked up at the Naaru expectantly. "I sense a darkness deep within you." Saa'ra's voice was still calm and serene, but there was a slightly more serious tone that Melkhen had hardly heard before. "A shadowy presence in your heart. You have been the target of much anguish, but you have also caused death and terrible suffering. Your heart is strong, but hardened more than you wish to admit."

Edwin looked at the ground, his expression faltering. He opened and closed his mouth, but couldn't seem to think of anything to say. Melkhen saw that Father Barclay looked shocked, and a bit sad. He had a sudden feeling that the old priest didn't hate Edwin by any means, just wanted what was best for him, and that this had all been the man's way of helping the boy. However this wasn't what he had wanted, Edwin being told these things.

Father Barclay looked like he was going to say something but Saa'ra spoke first, the voice soothing and kind. "But I see much more in your heart. There is darkness within you but it is surrounded with brilliant light. I see those that you hold dear to your heart, Edwin. They fill your life with such resplendent joy. Your mother, your father, Mitzi, Reni, Sabine, Biyu, Jenus, Grosh, Qiju, Abigail, Drake, Carrie, Danak, Fylanna, Rodrick and so many more. Each shines like a beacon in your soul, driving back your lurid instincts. Allan Barclay, even you live in him. You ask me if I approve of this boy's choice?"

"Yes" Father Barclay said simply. He looked mesmerized by Saa'ra's words.

"I do. As long as he continues to love and be true to these women he holds dear, I do not see any reason to intervene." Saa'ra just floated in place, pulsing slowly.

"I… thank you." Edwin looked moved as he smiled up at Saa'ra.

Everyone was quiet for a moment until one of the attendants, a Night Elf priestess, sighed loudly. She looked mildly disgusted as she put her face in her hand. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I think it's sweet. You know, mostly" said another attendant.

"Well." Edwin ignored the attendants as they began chatting to each other, looking to Father Barclay. "Are we good now?"

The old priest looked bewildered as he ran a hand through his hair. "I… Edwin, I still don't know how I feel about this. It's… very unusual." Edwin opened his mouth to speak but Father Barclay held up a hand to stop him. "What the Naaru said… was it true? Have you killed so many?"

Edwin looked sad as he avoided Barclay's gaze. "Well, yeah. I mean, what do you think I'm doing out here? Someone has to stop the Legion. And before that there was the Iron Horde. And before that it was the sha, and before that it was the mogu and before that it was the Naga, and before that it was gnolls and murlocs…" Edwin looked back up into the priest's face. "There's always something I need to take care of, and I can't get tired of it. I have to protect what I think is important. Sometimes I wonder what I'm going to do if I meet all of them when I die. But to tell you the truth I'm not going to apologize for what I did. I would do it all again if it meant you were all safe."

Father Barclay took a deep breath, steadying himself. He looked into Edwin's eyes sternly. "Look, I don't personally approve of this. But if you feel like this is something you can live with, then I suppose I can't stop you."

"So, you mean that as a priest you're ok with me staying with all the girls I'm with?" Edwin asked, clearly trying to clarify things here.

Rolling his eyes, Father Barclay grunted. "Yes, ok? I suppose so."

Grinning widely, Edwin reached out and pulled the old man into a hug. "Thanks! Now mom can finally stop freaking out so much!"

"You… dragged me here to calm your mother down?" Father Barclay asked wearily. He looked like he just wanted to go home now.

Letting Barclay go, Edwin stepped back chuckled. "Well, that's not the only reason, but kinda. There's one more reason. If you did approve of this I wanted to know… would you possibly be the one to officiate the wedding when I get married to Mitzi? I know you married my parents too."

"...I suppose so. Only because you're William's son, of course." Father Barclay tried to look stern though Melkhen noticed his mouth twitching at the corners.

Looking to Melkhen, Edwin reached his hand out. "Hey, thanks for your help. Sorry I was such a pain."

Melkhen grabbed Edwin's hand and shook it, feeling a strange kind of respect forming for this man. "No. I'm sorry. I misjudged you, Edwin. I was sure that Saa'ra would find you unworthy. I for one think that if this harem you have truly makes you a better man you should not be ashamed of it."

Laughing nervously, Edwin kept shaking Melkhen's hand. "Well, I wouldn't really call it a harem… even though I guess it is... but uh, thank you."

Motioning towards the exit, Melken back at Edwin. "Come. I'll escort you to the exit and retrieve your weapons."

"You're too kind!" Edwin happily walked behind Melkhen, his mood much improved from what it had been when he arrived.

Melkhen had a strange thought as he led Edwin and Father Barclay back to the portal to Dalaran. 'Maybe Edwin would be able to help me with my sister…' but he shook that thought away. No, that was crazy. Better not to think of that for now. However he couldn't quite shake the idea completely from his mind, even days later.


	5. Elera

"Is everyone ready for this?" Edwin looked gravely around as he sat cross-legged on his bed. Mitzi, Reni and Sabine were all seated on the bed facing him, their faces all set in serious expressions as Edwin took a deep breath and reached into the small cloth sack he held. Mitzi was sure she could hear a pin drop as he took a torn piece of paper out and unfolded it. "It looks like the first suggestion is… Tanaris. Near the beach."

Everyone looked to Reni, who blushed as she looked down at the bed. "I think it would be a nice place. We could build a house near Gadgetzan, we'd be able to enjoy the ocean…"

"Yes, and there's pirates everywhere. And trolls" Mitzi responded flatly. "Plus I don't want to live in a desert."

"I agree with Mitzi. My skin isn't meant for that kind of sustained weather." Sabine huffed at the very thought, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"Fine. It was just an idea." Reni pouted as Edwin put the scrap of paper aside and reached back into the bag.

As Mitzi waited with baited breath for Edin to reveal the next location, she hoped that her suggestion would be looked at a bit more favorably. This had all started when Edwin asked everyone to sit down for a serious talk, which ended up being about him wanting to build a home for them to live in. Edwin had suggested that he buy a plot of land near his parents in Goldshire, and while everyone else hadn't necessarily been against the idea they had decided to explore other options. While Mary and William were quite accepting of their situation the girls suspected that the other neighbors might not be so keen. Edwin had argued but not very much, even he seemed to accept that there was some validity to their worries. So everyone had written down a place where they would like to live, the plan was simply to discuss them amongst the group. Mitzi had mentioned Biyu, who was in Dalaran doing some self study, but both Reni and Sabine made it clear that they would rather not involve her.

Edwin extracted another piece of paper and opened it. "Suramar City." Frowning, Edwin gave Sabine an incredulous look. "Really?"

"Well, after Elisande is either deposed or made to see reason I suspect I will no longer be branded as a traitor." Sabine also looked flustered as everyone stared at her. "It shouldn't be difficult for me to purchase a house after that. After all, you did mention that the city was quite lovely, Edwin."

Mitzi nodded in agreement. "Hmm. Well, it's true. The place is very nice. But aren't we going to run into the same problem as we would around here? I have a feeling that even after the Legion your people aren't really going to be very accepting of us." Sabine didn't seem to be able to dispute that, and she just glumly nodded as Edwin reached back into the sack.

"Alright. Next is… Redridge Mountains. By Lakeshire." Edwin grinned around at them. "Well?"

Mitzi exchanged glances with Reni and Sabine. They were all frowning. "I think we're going to run into the same problems are here in Goldshire" Reni responded dryly. "We don't HAVE to live near your parents you know."

"Alright, alright. I get it. That's a no on Redridge then." Edwin grumbled as he flipped the scrap of paper away and reached into the sack to pull out Mitzi's choice. "Dun Morogh."

"I didn't have anywhere particular in mind. We could build a place in New Tinkerton, I know that gnomes wouldn't mind nearly as much as humans. Or we could live near Kharanos or Anvilmar maybe. Dwarves are also pretty easy to get along with if we just try. I've always liked the cold, too." Mitzi braced herself to be similarly shot down, but thankfully Reni and Sabine at least seemed to be considering the idea.

"Well, I also enjoy the cold. I would get gawked at by short people all the time but I suppose that would happen regardless." Sabine smiled as she twisted a few strands of hair around one finger.

Reni looked a bit more skeptical. "I'm not against it necessarily. But I'm a goblin. I have a feeling I'm going to be a little more unwelcome than the rest of you."

Breathing out through her nose in exasperation, Mitzi felt a bit annoyed. "Well that's going to happen no matter where we live, isn't it? We're going have to make some concessions one way or the other."

"Then let's move to Ratchet, or Booty Bay. Goblins won't care at all as long as we pay our property taxes." Reni folded her arms smugly.

"A whole city full of you?" Sabine frowned. "No thank you."

Scowling at Sabine, Reni gritted her teeth. "Well why don't you give us a better idea? Someplace that's not the city you spent two thousand years in, how about that?"

"Girls." Edwin's voice was light but stern as he smile. Reni and Sabine glared at each other one last time before looking away. "We need some more time to think about all this. I think this was good, we discussed some options. We should do this again in a few days, next time I know we'll have some better ideas." Everyone nodded, the tense moment dissolving as Edwin got up off the bed. "Ok, well I'm going downstairs. I'm supposed to help dad move some furniture."

"Then I should come too." Sabine stood up as well, looking a bit smug as she glanced at Reni. "Mother wanted my opinion on some of the furniture placement. I pointed out that she could save a bit of space."

"I'm coming too then." Reni got up off the bed with a scowl.

"Oh. I thought you would want to get a little exercise in." Sabine smiled sweetly. "When I got back from my morning run with Edwin I saw that you were still asleep."

"Thank you for your concern" Reni said through clenched teeth. "But I'm coming too."

"Are you coming too, Mitzi?" Edwin asked, smiling.

Mitzi considered, to be honest she had been feeling a little bit nauseous again. She had been looking forward to laying down for a bit with a glass of water and some crackers, but seeing everyone else looking expectantly at her made her force a smile. "Sure. Let's go."

* * *

It was nearly an hour later as Mitzi sat next to Mary and Sabine on the couch, drinking some iced tea as they watched Edin and William slowly move a cupboard into place. "Right there, yes" Sabine said casually, taking a sip of her tea as she watched with her face in one hand.

"Yes ma'am" Edwin grumbled as he placed his end down. Sighing with relief, both Edwin and William relaxed as they regained their breath. "Are we about done here yet?"

"Soon" Sabine promised with a smile. "That's all the heavy stuff at least."

Mary looked around the room admiringly. "Well Sabine I'm glad you were here today. You were right, there's so much more space now."

"I'm just glad I was able to help." Sabine smiled sweetly to Mary, who smiled back. Mitzi felt a little annoyed. Reni, who was sprawled lazily on an armchair and looked completely bored, looked even more annoyed. "Would you like me to make lunch? You've been working hard all this week, you should take some time off your feet."

"No, no. Thank you." Mary shook her head as she stood, blushing slightly. "You should all be the ones relaxing. I know you're working hard out there for us. I'll go and make lunch."

"I'll help." Mitzi also stood up as Sabine scowled briefly. "Sabine, you should take a rest, she's right."

"Very well." Sabine didn't look too put out as she stood up and walked over to Edwin, sitting in his lap. "You're all sweaty. Maybe we should go and take a bath."

"Excuse me?" Reni sat up, glowering at Sabine before Edwin could even open his mouth. "You just don't stop for a second, do you?"

"Let's just go make lunch" Mary said with a weary sigh. As they left the room Mary took a quick moment to glare at William, who was staring at Sabine as she sat on Edwin's lap arguing with Reni. Guiltily he cleared his throat and looked away.

Ten minutes later Mitzi was assisting Mary as the prepared a couple of fish. Her job was to scale the fish while Mary was gutting and preparing them to be grilled, which was going smoothly at first. However Mitzi began to slow down as her stomach began feeling horribly nauseous. Maybe it was the smell of the fish or the sight of the guts, but after a few minutes she couldn't take it anymore. "I… I'm sorry… I…" Mitzi muttered before running out the back door as fast as she could.

Thankfully she made it to the bushes in time as she vomited out of sight. She stood there for a minute, breathing heavily through her nose and trying to will herself not to throw up again. "Are you okay?" Mary asked, worry in her voice as she knelt down next to Mitzi and began rubbing her back. "Here, come with me." Gently but firmly Mary took her hand and helped Mitzi to her feet. She led Mitzi to a well in the back yard, and after pulling up the bucket Mitzi gratefully rinsed her mouth out and cleaned up. "Alright. Let's go inside. You're going to lie down for a bit, ok? I'll bring you up some mint tea in a little while and maybe some rice if you think you can handle it."

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine, I don't have to lie down or anything." Mitzi smiled reassuringly at Mary, even if it was a bit of a white lie. She didn't want anyone worrying about her.

"Nonsense. I'm bringing you right up to bed. Even if you just lay down for an hour, you stay there ok?" Mary reached down and gripped Mitzi's hand firmly, leading her inside.

Mitzi wanted to argue but couldn't help sighing in defeat. "Ok. Fine."

A few minutes later Mary was tucking Mitzi into bed. She seemed quite serious about Mitzi staying down for a while. "Ok. Comfortable?"

Mitzi smiled, nodding. "Yes, thank you. I'm serious though, I'm fine. I just felt a little queasy. It's been happening a few times these last couple of weeks."

Mary smiled back at her, then her expression seemed to freeze. "The last few weeks? How often do you feel sick?"

"Every few days maybe. It's usually early on in the morning. Sometimes it gets really annoying, I've eaten breakfast before and then just thrown it up after. I don't seem to have a fever though." Mitzi looked curiously at Mary as she sat down on the bed.

"I see." Mary looked at Mitzi like she didn't know exactly what to say. "Mitzi… is there a chance you're pregnant?"

"What? No. That's impossible." Mitzi scoffed and looked away from Mary. "Edwin's the only man I've ever had sex with."

"Why is it impossible?" Mary sounded calm as she rubbed Mitzi's back.

"Humans and gnomes can't… breed" Mitzi replied, feeling a bit awkward.

"How do you know that? I've never really heard of a gnome and a human being together the way you two are. I've heard that half-elves exist, why can't half-gnomes?"

Mitzi sat up, her heart beating quickly. Technically, she was right. Mitzi herself had never heard of a gnome and a human in the kind of relationship they were in. "Because it's not possible! How can I… what…" Mitzi put her head in her hands, her breathing quickening. She felt even more sick.

"Shhh, calm down." Mary smiled reassuringly as she pulled Mitzi into a hug. "Don't worry. We don't even know if it's true yet. It's just a thought. I'm just saying, maybe we need to prepare for that possibility. Right?" Hugging Mary back, Mitzi just nodded. She was trembling, and Mary didn't say anything as she just held Mitzi until the shaking subsided.

* * *

Edwin was getting dressed not long after his bath when a knock on the door drew his attention. Pulling a shirt on, he walked over and opened it to see his mother standing there. "Hey mom! What's going on?"

"Edwin." Mary looked a bit uncertain as she looked to her left. "Come on. Don't be shy." Mitzi stepped out into view, not looking at Edwin. "I think the two of you have something you need to talk about."

"Ok?" Edwin stepped aside as Mitzi entered the room and sat on the bed. "Um…" he turned to Mary, about to ask a question, but she was already shutting the door. Looking to Mitzi with some trepidation, Edwin sat down on the bed next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Hey. Mitzi. Talk to me."

Mitzi looked like she was about to cry as she looked down at her knees. "I have something to tell you. I don't know what you're going to think."

"You can tell me anything. I promise I won't get mad." Edwin smiled down at her as he kissed her cheek. "Come on. Please tell me. I'm starting to get worried."

"I've… been having some stomach problems these last couple of weeks." Mitzi was twiddling her thumbs madly. "Your mom says she might know what the issue is."

"Well, come on." Despite himself Edwin was feeling a little annoyed. "What does she think the problem is?"

"She thinks… I might be pregnant."

Edwin opened his mouth for a moment and then closed it. He felt confused. "What? No, that's silly. You can't be."

"We don't really know that." Mitzi looked up at Edwin out of the corner of her eye. "I mean, do we know for sure that humans and gnomes can't make a child together?"

"But she's probably wrong, right?" Edwin felt strangely desperate as sweat began to bead on his forehead. "I mean… she… you can't be pregnant, right?"

Mitzi looked Edwin dead on this time. There were tears in her eyes. "You… I…" Mitzi got up off the bed. "I… I thought you would be happy…" she sobbed as she ran for the door.

Hesitating in shock for only a moment, Edwin got up and dashed to the door, intercepting Mitzi before she could leave. He picked her up in his arms, holding on even as she thrashed about and cried. "Mitzi. I'm sorry. I… this was really sudden. Please don't leave me. I am happy, I promise you. I swear. I just need a moment to process this, ok?" Mitzi stopped but did not hug Edwin back as she sat motionless in his arms. Edwin sat down on the bed as Mitzi pressed her face into his chest.

They both sat like that for a while. Edwin didn't even know how long, maybe a half hour or longer. They barely moved, just stayed close to one another. "I'm really scared" Mitzi finally said, clenching Edwin's shirt tight. "If I am pregnant… then that means that I have a half-human inside of me. What if the baby gets too big? What do we do if it can't… if I can't give birth to it?"

"Mitzi. Don't you worry about anything like that." Edwin's voice, which had been a bit weak, got stronger as he held her tighter. "If I need to I'll get the best priests in Azeroth to make sure everything is ok. I'll get the Naaru themselves to make sure you and the baby are safe if that's what it takes. Do you hear me? I will not let anything like that happen to the woman I love."

"Do you mean it?" Mitzi looked up at Edwin again, her face downcast but hopeful. "But… what if…"

"I will do anything." Edwin put his hands on Mitzi's shoulders as he looked firmly into her eyes. "Anything in this world to make sure you two are safe." Leaning in just a bit hesitantly, Edwin kissed Mitzi. It was slow and frankly not the best, but Edwin could feel Mitzi's shoulders relaxing a bit as she kissed back. After they pulled apart, Edwin found himself giggling. He didn't even know why at first, he just found something funny as he started to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Mitzi demanded, angrily wiping the tears from her eyes.

"We're going to have a baby." Edwin grinned at Mitzi before laughing. "We're going to have a baby!"

Mitzi's smile started out small, but soon she was giggling too. "Why are you laughing so much? Stop it! It's not funny!"

Edwin stood up, laughing as he picking Mitzi up in his arms and kissed her. She kissed him back, hands wrapping around his neck as Edwin moved over to the door and locked it. "I think we should celebrate" he whispered into Mitzi's ear. "While we still can."

"I'll try and be quiet" Mitzi said breathlessly, kissing Edwin's neck as he made for the bed.

* * *

Three days later, Mitzi found herself marvelling at the spacious interior of Netherlight Temple. She was here to meet with some priest that Edwin knew, he had assured her that she would be in safe hands. She was nervous; according to Edwin this priest was going to be able to help with any complications that would arise from the pregnancy, but she still found herself unsure if they would be able to help with her particular problem. She was coming in today to check for any initial issues and now that she was waiting she couldn't help but fret.

"I wish this friend of Edwin's would get here soon." Sabine sat next to her, looking bored as she watched the people of all races go to and fro. "I was hoping we could get back soon for dinner. They might get back this evening if things go well. How are you feeling, by the way?"

Mitzi grunted in response. While Mitzi was glad Sabine was here she wasn't exactly the first person Mitzi would have picked for this. She had really been hoping that Edwin would come with her, but their group had been called in for an emergency mission the previous day and both he and Reni had to leave at a moment's notice. Even Sabine was left behind this time as the mission was going to require some careful stealth tactics. Of course Mitzi understood. The Legion was an important threat, she got that, but that didn't change the fact that she was still a bit upset. Mitzi also wouldn't have minded if Biyu was here, but she had been assigned to some missions while Mitzi was given some time off.

"Ah. You must be Mitzi." A Draenei was walking up to them, dressed in a long white and gold set of robes. He had a staff on his back, a large gold, blue and black one that seemed to shimmer with a golden light. "I am Melkhen. Edwin talked to me the other day about you. It is a pleasure to meet you. He did not lie, you are quite lovely." With a smile Melkhen shook Mitzi's hand and then turned to Sabine, offering his palm. "And you must be Sabine. Of course I know you as well. I see Edwin did not undersell your beauty either."

"Thank you. It's very nice to meet you Melkhen." Sabine smiled briefly as she shook Melkhen's hand. "I didn't know he told you so much about us."

"Well, I did ask him a few more questions last time he was here. To be honest, all of you intrigue me." Melkhen smiled cryptically for a moment. "Now, why don't we go to my quarters? We can get away from the general bustle that way."

"If you think we should" Mitzi said a bit uncertainly. She didn't like the idea of going to some random stranger's room.

"Please, I assure you I mean no ill intentions. I just thought you wouldn't want to do this with so many people around. If it helps, my sister Elera will be there as well. It won't just be us alone. And of course I insist that Sabine here come with us too." Melkhen smiled at both of them reassuringly.

"Well, alright. Lead the way." Mitzi still felt a bit skeptical but this priest didn't seem like the shady type. She had a distinct feeling that she was just trying to put this off, and so she took a deep breath as she followed behind Melkhen, determined to see this through.

They reached Melkhen's room in the temple fairly quickly, and as he opened the door they saw a modest-sized sitting room with a couple of doors that presumably led to bedrooms. A Draenei woman clad in a dark blue and black robe looked up from the book she was reading as they entered. She was quite lovely, with pale blue skin, horns that sloped back delicately, silky black hair and beautiful features. She stood and smiled at Mitzi and Sabine, bowing low. "Hello. You must be Mitzi and Sabine. My name is Elera. I have heard about you. Welcome." Standing up straight, she smiled pleasantly at the two of them. "Would you like a bit of tea? I also picked up some cookies from Dalaran that are quite excellent."

"Yes that sounds fantastic, Elera." Melkhen sounded slightly exasperated, and Mitzi guessed that he probably had to deal with his sister a lot.

"Yes, thank you" Mitzi agreed cheerily.

"That sounds lovely" Sabine said with a nod.

As Elera left into the next room, Melkhen let out a sigh. "Anyway. Why don't we get started?" Motioning to a couch, he smiled at Mitzi. "Lie down, please."

"Um…" Mitzi looked at the comfortable-looking couch like it was made of nails. "Do… I have to take off my clothes or anything?"

Laughing, Melkhen shook his head. "No. Nothing like that. You don't even have to show me your stomach."

Looking briefly at Sabine, who gave her a smile of support, Mitzi took a deep breath and lay down on the couch. As she made herself comfortable Melkhen and Sabine both pulled up chairs and sat down. "So… do I have to do anything?" Mitzi asked, uncertainly.

Melkhen extended his hands, hovering them over Mitzi's midriff as he closed his eyes. "You just need to breathe. Calm yourself." His hands began to glow with a soft golden light, and Mitzi could feel a warmth spreading through her body that drove away any apprehension she had left. "I can feel the light that your soul gives off. I believe… yes." Melkhen smiled. "I can sense it. There is another within you. So very small, but very much there." Melkhen opened his eyes, putting his hands on his lap as he smiled at her. "I am very pleased to inform you that you are indeed pregnant, Mitzi."

Mitzi couldn't help but smile as Sabine sat down on the couch next to her and hugged her. "Oh, Mitzi! That's great! Congratulations! We need to start thinking about names right away."

"Thank you both. I never even thought this could even happen, but I'm so happy right now" Mitzi said, feeling a blush rise to her cheeks. As much as she wanted to bask in the adoration, there was a pressing matter on her mind that made her look to Melkhen gravely. "That's not the only reason I came to see you though. I was wondering… well, the baby is going to be half human and half gnome. Isn't there the possibility that there's going to be problems?"

Sighing, Melkhen sat back in his chair. Mitzi felt her stomach clench up. She was grateful when Sabine reached out and took her hand and squeezed back. "I won't lie to you, I just don't know for certain. There is a chance, yes. To give an example, I know that it's very rare, but humans and Draenei have mated before and produced children. Most of those births have been completely fine, textbook in fact. But there have been some minor issues that have cropped up. I did some research last night and as far as I can tell there hasn't been a recorded case of a human and a gnome breeding"

"I… I see." Mitzi rubbed her stomach with her free hand. "Please, be honest with me. Is there a chance that the baby won't make it?"

"If you gave birth to the baby naturally, possibly. I won't lie." Melkhen smiled reassuringly as Mitzi felt like crying. "Please, don't fret. I only meant if you gave birth completely naturally, with no magical assistance. But we aren't going to let that happen. When it's your time I can assure you that you'll have some of the best priests in Azeroth seeing to your care."

"But what if it's too big? What is there's no way I can-" Mitzi began, until Melkhen's hand falling on her shoulder stopped her.

Patting her on the shoulder, Melkhen looked serious. "I won't tell you that there's no danger, because this is a first for us too. But I can only repeat, don't worry. I don't believe the baby will be too big. After all, humans with large size differences have had children in the past." He smiled at her. "You don't have to worry alone. If for any reason you sense the slightest bit of trouble with the child, know that you can come to us. Even if I'm not around I promise you someone will be here to help you."

Sabine squeezed Mitzi's hand, and she looked around to see the elf's eyes shining with tears. "You know you can count on us too, Mitzi. I know I speak for the others when I say that."

There was still a bit of apprehension, that horrible feeling that something could go wrong. However as Mitzi looked from Melkhen to Sabine, both of whom were giving her such reassuring smiles, she couldn't help but nod and smile back. She felt grateful tears in her eyes as she wiped them away. "Thank you. Thank you both so much."

"I'm very sorry" came Elera's voice, and Mitzi turned to see her peeking into the room. "I didn't mean to interrupt." Elera swept in delicately, carrying a tray containing teas, cookies and some small cakes. She placed it on the table and sat down, her cheeks flushing dark blue as she poured four cups

"No, it's fine. You didn't interrupt anything." Mitzi gratefully accepted her cup of tea. She admired the spread of snacks, it was quite inviting. "Thank you very much. This looks fantastic by the way."

"It is rather fetching" Sabine agreed, thanking Elera for the tea and taking a cake. "Did you pick these up from Dalaran too?"

"Oh no!" Elera blushed even more and put her hands to her face. "I made those myself. I don't think they're nearly as good as what the bake shop makes. I'm rather embarrassed I put them out, truthfully."

Sabine bit into the cake and chewed, her face breaking out into a satisfied smile. "You undersell your efforts. These are quite delicious. Did you make the filling yourself?"

Mitzi picked up one of the spongy yellow cakes to see what the fuss was all about. Biting into it, she immediately tasted a delicious chocolate center. "Wow, she's right. These are fantastic. And you made these?"

"They're filled with a ganache, and yes I made that too. Oh, I'm very glad you enjoy it. I know they're not the best, but I promise that next time I'll make them even better." Elera smiled warmly at both of them as she gave her brother a cup of tea.

"Yes, thank you. Very nice." Melkhen sighed heavily and motioned towards the door. "Elera?"

"Oh, my apologies. Please, enjoy." Elera stood up and bowed briefly before bustling back off into the next room.

"Is there more you need to discuss with Mitzi?" Sabine asked, a little confused as Elera left the room.

"Well, yes. With both of you." Melkhen smiled brightly. "It's about the matter of your payment."

Both Mitzi and Sabine stared blankly at Melkhen's beaming face. "Payment?" Mitzi asked, a bit confused. "I thought you were doing this as a favor to Edwin."

"Well no. I'm afraid not. I do like the boy but I'm afraid we do charge for our services to those not in our organization. We don't keep any of the money you understand, it all goes to the upkeep of Netherlight Temple and to other needy churches around Azeroth."

Not knowing what to say, Mitzi looked at Sabine, who cleared her throat and looked to Melkhen. "Alright. How much is it going to cost us then?"

"Actually, I was hoping that in lieu of a normal donation, we could all work out an agreement." Melkhen smiled brightly. "I help you, and you help me."

"That doesn't exactly sound priestly" Sabine remarked with a frown.

Shrugging, Melkhen sat back in his chair. "I think I'm being quite fair. Why not at least hear me out?"

Grunting, Mitzi inclined her head. "Fine. Go ahead, what do you want us to do?"

"You see, it's about the arrangement that you have with Edwin. I'm made to understand that he isn't… tied down to you Mitzi. As it were. Please, forgive me if I'm speaking out of turn, I beg. I don't exactly know how to politely address the situation." Melkhen sipped his tea as he picked up a cookie from the plate and crunched it.

"We've all come to a compromise if that's what you mean, yes." Sabine narrowed her eyes. "You're not going to ask us to break it off or something, are you?"

"No, no. Quite the opposite. I think you are all having quite a positive effect on Edwin. I have no qualms about whatever it is you do." Melkhen put down his tea as he looked for the words. "It's about my sister. You see, it was only a decade or so ago that she celebrated her 500th birthday. She's quite happy in her own way but she's a bit past her prime, to be blunt. Though she courted a number of my fellow Draenei back in the day, by this point she is past the age where most have found a mate. But I was wondering if, since Edwin seems to have such a large heart, he would be willing to take her in the same way he did you."

"Wait, wait…" Mitzi held her hands up, feeling confused and getting a strange sensation of deja vu. "Your sister? Like… Elera?"

Melkhen gave Mitzi an incredulous look. "Yes. I do only have one sister."

Mitzi gaped at Melkhen, unbelieving. "SHE'S past her prime?" Elera was gorgeous, Mitzi didn't even understand how this was possible.

"Past her prime is being a little mean. We Draenei live for thousands of years, it's not like she's an old lady or anything. You know how some single human women in their 30s and 40s act like they're never going to find love? I guess you could say it's kind of like that. Elera thinks she'll never find someone who wants to be with her."

"Well it's not like your sister is going to be able to marry Edwin." Sabine looked indignant at the very idea. "We've all agreed that Mitzi here will be the only one to do that."

"I've explained the situation to her. She understands." Melkhen sounded completely unconcerned as he picked his tea back up and drank.

"So, let me get this straight." Mitzi steepled her fingers and looked Melkhen directly in the eye. "You're going to help me through my pregnancy. And in return, we…"

"And in return Edwin takes my sister as a mistress. Yes. In fact, since Elera is also part of the Conclave I can promise you that if you DO take her in I'll extend the same courtesy to the rest of you as well. We will of course help family and close relations of our members with no need for a donation."

Both Mitzi and Sabine were silent as they looked at one another for a long moment. Mitzi could see that Sabine looked as skeptical about this as she felt. Mitzi glanced back at Melkhen. "Elera really knows about all of this and still wants to be with Edwin? Has she even met him?"

"Well, Elera isn't completely sold on it. She did meet Edwin briefly the other day and seemed to get along well with him. She said that she would like to meet with him again, have dinner with you all." Melkhen was still so casual, it was really throwing Mitzi off.

"I really feel like we should be having Elera here for this discussion." Sabine looked around at the door she had left from. "Should I go get her?"

"If you want, but I doubt she'll come. Elera's the one who asked me to bring this up, she said she was too shy to talk about it in front of everyone."

Once again Mitzi and Sabine looked at each other. "Well…" Sabine looked at Melkhen skeptically. "I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but can we at least discuss the other method? What kind of donation would you require?"

"I don't really like discussing money, but…" Taking a small pad of paper and a pencil out of a pocket, Melkhen started scribbling as he mumbled to himself. Once he finished he tore the sheet off and passed it to Sabine. "This would be an approximation of the minimum donation we'll ask for."

Snatching the piece of paper, Sabine glanced at it quietly for a moment before looking back to Melkhen. "...This is just for Mitzi?"

"Well, of course. You really can't put a price on the life of a child after all."

"So, you charge anyone this much?" Sabine sounded angry now as she narrowed her eyes.

"No, no. Of course not. We ask for a donation relative to the means of the person we help. And I hear that Edwin and his group make quite a lot of money doing what they do." Melkhen tried a cake this time. "Oh these are good. Better than the cookies."

"You just have an answer for everything, don't you?" Sabine asked, sitting back with a growl of frustration. After a minute of thinking she sighed heavily and looked to Mitzi. "I think we should do it."

Mitzi felt frustration rise up in her as she tried to remain calm. She thought that Sabine wouldn't have cracked so easily. "Why?"

Sabine shrugged, looking about as casual now as Melkhen. "Well he did say that we'd all get treatment for life. If I end up with child and have to come here then we may have to pay again. Plus, Elera might not enjoy this. He said she was unsure about it. And one last thing, I would rather save the money in the end. We're building a home soon. We're going to need all we can get I believe."

"I just don't know... " Mitzi mumbled. This was way more than she wanted to consider right now.

Melkhen leaned forward, a slight smile on his face. "Fine. I'll offer one final term. If you do take Elera with you to meet Edwin, even if it doesn't work out and she declines I will still see to it that you are treated for free."

Mitzi took one final look at Sabine, sighed, and looked back to Melkhen. "Alright. I guess we'll give it a shot."

"Excellent!" Melkhen looked almost too happy as he stood up. "Let me go get Elera. I'm sure she'll be excited to hear it."

As he left the room, Mitzi turned to Sabine. "Do you think we should be doing this? I mean, this seems kind of extreme…"

"I suppose Edwin won't really mind" Sabine responded a bit wearily. "I don't exactly love the idea, but if she's comfortable with being third mistress then I don't personally have a problem with it. If it ensures that your child is safe I'm willing to make that sacrifice. But it's really your opinion here that matters in the end, Mitzi. "

There wasn't a chance for Mitzi to respond as Melkhen came back, Elera in tow. She smiled demurely at the both of them and clasped her hands together. "I've heard that you decided to accept me. I really can't tell you how happy I am."

Now that she was here and looking so happy, Mitzi found it hard to think about telling her no suddenly. She smiled awkwardly. "Well. Yes. We can at least give it a shot I suppose."

"Thank you. Will… we be meeting with Edwin soon?" Elera was blushing as she looked down at her feet.

"I'm not sure." Now that Mitzi thought about it she really didn't even know how to go about explaining this to Edwin. "We were supposed to all go to his parents house for dinner tonight to tell them about the baby, so I-"

"That sounds lovely! I would very much like to meet his parents. Hold on, I'll get some of my things together." Elera turned around happily and rushed to what must have been her bedroom.

"Wait, I was-" Mitzi found herself cut off again as Elera closed the door behind her. "...saying maybe we should do it tomorrow…" Mitzi mumbled.

Standing up with a satisfied smile, Melkhen looked down at both of them. "I'm going to inform my sister of a regiment I'd like you to follow. First things first, no more alcohol. And there's some exercises I think you should start performing daily. That and I'm going to recommend you a diet plan I'd like you to try and adhere to. I'll talk with Elera about some more specifics, but she's a capable priest in her own right. She knows her stuff and should be able to help with most questions or problems. It seems like you'll have some time with her, she can go over the fine details with you later." With a nod he went to Elera's room, knocked and entered, leaving Mitzi and Sabine alone.

"Well. I suppose a trip to mother's wouldn't be complete without a new girl in tow" Sabine noted dryly, taking a sip of her now lukewarm tea. Sabine looked up at Elera's bedroom door with a frown. "But… something about her doesn't seem right. I can't quite put my finger on it…"

Looking down at her lap, Mitzi let out a long exasperated sigh as Sabine furrowed her brow in thought. Reaching out, she took two more cakes and ate them angrily.

* * *

It was early in the afternoon when Edwin finally got back to Dalaran with the rest of his group and waved them off, heading back to his apartment with Reni in tow. They had gotten back to Shal'Aran just a couple of hours ago with some information about Suramar's defenses, and even now Thalyssra was meeting with leaders of the other elven factions to plan a final assault based on their intel. Thankfully this meant that they had a few days off before the main fighting began, now they had to wait for the various armed forces to prepare and for certain other factors to come together. One big concern was the spy they had in Elisande's court by the name of Ly'leth, Thalyssra was becoming increasingly concerned by her lack of reports. Regardless, Edwin was looking forward to his break before things would get serious. His group was going to join in on the assault of the Nighthold, meaning that in a few days his weapons would once again be coated in blood.

"I am going to take a bath. A long one. And then tonight I am going right to sleep." Reni looked dead tired as she trudged along. Edwin sympathized, none of the group had gotten much sleep the previous night. They had spent many sleepless hours stalking through the streets of Suramar, only taking a few hours rest after they got out at the crack of dawn.

Smiling down at Reni, Edwin tousled her hair. "Let's take a quick bath at my place then. I want to go see if everything's alright with Mitzi as soon as I can."

Smacking his hand away, Reni punched Edwin in the side. "Yeah, I know. You haven't shut up about it, you doofus." The corners of her mouth twitched as she tried to be angry about it.

"I mean, we should also make sure that we're nice and clean when we meet up with everyone. Maybe you can wash my back?" Edwin grinned suggestively at Reni as he took her hand.

Reni's face broke into a smile despite her best efforts. "Oh, alright. Just to make sure you're clean."

"Then you should probably get my front too." Edwin felt Reni squeeze his hand.

An hour later Edwin was feeling renewed as he strolled to Mitzi's home with Reni in tow, who had also perked up a bit from earlier. They were greeted at the door by Nadia, a middle-aged human mage Edwin had met once when visiting, and let up to Mitzi's apartment. Edwin knocked, his heart thumping nervously as he waited. He was about to find out if he would be a father or not.

The door opened, and Edwin grinned as he saw Mitzi standing there. His grin faded as he saw a nervous look on Mitzi's face, and he felt his heart sink as she stepped outside and closed the door behind her. "Mitzi… did everything go right today?" He dropped to one knee and tried to look Mitzi in the eye as she avoided his gaze, trying to keep his breathing steady. "Please, talk to me."

"Did the priest tell you some bad news? Are you pregnant?" Reni was also looking worried, placing her hand on Mitzi's shoulder comfortingly.

"Well. I have some good news and some bad news. I guess." Mitzi took a deep breath and finally looked at Edwin. "The good news first. Yes, I'm pregnant. We're going to have a baby. And Melkhen says that everything should be alright."

The relief that spread through Edwin was incredible. Letting out a long breath, Edwin sat on the ground as he felt his nerves settle down. "That's.. That's not good news, that's fantastic! Oh, mom and dad are going to be so happy to hear that!" Laughing, Edwin reached out and pulled Mitzi in for a hug.

"So… what's the bad news then?" Reni asked with a frown after Edwin had calmed down.

"Oh. Right." Mitzi pulled herself away from Edwin and once again did not meet his gaze. "Well… Melkhen also told us that since we're not part of their organization, they usually require a monetary donation."

Edwin felt a little annoyed at this, but he at least understood. Melkhen was taking time out of his day to help, it wasn't exactly unreasonable. "That makes sense. Well, how much does he want us to give? I have some gold stashed away, just tell me how much you need. You and the baby are far more important to me than money."

"Well…" Mitzi looked very uncomfortable now as she stared at her feet, shifting in place awkwardly. "He offered us a deal. He said we didn't have to pay if… we took his sister in."

"Excuse me?" Reni was looking at Mitzi with an exasperated expression. "Are you serious right now? And you said yes?"

"Sabine and I agreed to at least try it out." Mitzi looked a bit defensive now as Reni glared at her. "He said if she's not comfortable with it then we can call it off and I still get treatment for free."

"Did you two even… try to haggle? Don't tell me me just suggested this and you didn't even stop to ask what we thought?!" Reni looked livid, and Mitzi didn't seem to have any response as she looked desperately to Edwin.

"His sister?" Edwin's brain had finally caught up. "You mean Elera?" The image of the beautiful Draenei girl floated to the top of his mind.

"He only has one sister, so yes." Mitzi nodded gravely.

Reni turned to glare at Edwin now. "Oh so you know this girl, hmm? How, exactly?"

Feeling awkward now under the intense stare, Edwin rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I just met her yesterday. I dunno, there's not much to say. We only talked for about ten minutes or so when Melkhen had to step out. She was shy and just asked me a bunch of questions. That's pretty much it."

Growling angrily for a moment, Reni stopped and took some deep breaths to calm herself as she turned to Mitzi. "I… alright. I'll worry about this later. She's in your room, right?"

"Yeah. She's just talking with Sabine. I… uh… thought I should talk to you about this. Before you saw her." Mitzi shuffled her feet. "I'm sorry Edwin. I know this is awkward."

"Oh, Mitzi." Edwin pulled her in for a hug. Though he didn't want to admit it to Mitzi, he had absolutely no problem with this. He had remembered how attractive Elera was. Of course he wasn't going to say that out loud. Truthfully, Edwin believed this was all some kind of prank. Mitzi wouldn't really make a joke like that, but it was possible. Why would Elera want to be with him anyhow? "I love you. I'm not upset or anything, don't worry."

Mitzi hugged Edwin back, putting her face into his shoulder. "Well… I'm also sorry because… I kind of told her that she could come with us tonight when we go see your parents."

That made Edwin hesitate, but he smiled. "Mom is a lot calmer about all this now. I think I'm going to be fine."

"Are you guys ok?" Edwin glanced up to see one of the girls living here looking down at them and he realized he was still sitting here on the floor. He released Mitzi and stood up, embarrassed.

"Yeah, fine. Thank you Theresa." Mitzi smiled at the girl, who smiled back and continued on to her room.

"Alright. Enough waiting. Let's just go." Reni turned and opened the door without any preamble, leaving Edwin and Mitzi walking quickly behind her as she strode inside.

The first thing Edwin noticed was Elera, who looked up with a smile from Sabine as she stood up. "Oh, Edwin. Hello. It's good to see you again."

"Hello Elera." Edwin smiled back, not really sure what to say or do. Even with a robe covering her body Elera was quite beautiful, it was really throwing him off. "So Mitzi tells me that you… want to be part of our group? That seems a bit sudden. It's not that I dislike it or anything but, why exactly did you decide that?"

Looking shyly away from Edwin's gaze, Elera's cheeks flushed a dark blue. Edwin's heart jumped, she sure was cute when she blushed. "Well, I know it sounds silly, but I heard of your talk with Saa'ra. I hoped that, since I've been unable to find a mate for half a millennia… maybe I would be able to find a place here. When I talked with you yesterday I thought that you were a good and handsome man, so…" Elera trailed off, her face blushing more.

Feeling quite good about being called handsome, Edwin grinned back. "Well, if you're comfortable with us then I don't see a problem with it. I'm just surprised that you chose me. You're a beautiful woman, I'm sure you could have any guy you wanted."

"Oh no, you flatter me too much." Elera put a hand to her face as she blushed more than ever. "I was intrigued greatly by you." She looked up to Edwin demurely, and he could feel his cock twitch. He felt just a bit guilty about that, this girl seemed so pure it almost felt wrong to think of her in that way. "Then when I met your wife and mistress and saw how happy they looked, I made my decision final."

The moment between the two was ruined when Reni rolled her eyes. "Yes, very emotional. Are we heading out soon? It's later over in Stormwind, we don't want to have your parents waiting too long."

"Yes, there will be plenty of time for all of us to get to know each other later" Sabine said with a serious look on her face as she stood up.

"Oh, I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to keep everyone. I'm already being a bother, aren't I?" Elera's face fell, her mouth drooping just a bit into a sad smile. She looked so remorseful that Edwin had the sudden urge to walk up and comfort her.

Even Sabine seemed affected as her expression softened slightly. "Oh, it's not your fault Elera. All of us are quite glad to have you here."

Mitzi stepped forward and smiled reassuringly at Elera. "She's right. It does make me feel better to have you here in case something goes wrong with the baby, and besides that you're very sweet. You being here isn't a bother at all."

"Yeah, cheer up" Reni chimed in. Even she looked a little guilty as she took Elera's hand and patted it gently.

"Oh, thank you all" Elera said, her voice choked with emotion as her eyes shone with tears. She reached out and pulled all three girls into a hug. "I feel so loved. Thank you."

Edwin could see that while all three girls still looked a bit skeptical, they all smiled at one another and hugged back. Though the scene was heartwarming, there was something nagging at the back of Edwin's mind. Elera seemed like a genuine and loving person, but if he stepped back and looked at what just happened then he might be inclined to think that Elera manipulated all of the girls into accepting her. That sounded crazy though. Elera was a priestess, and according to Melkhen a rather devoted one at that. Surely he was just overthinking things. However Edwin couldn't quite get the idea out of his head as they prepared to leave.

* * *

It was late in the evening when they reached Edwin's parents house. Edwin opened the door and began removing his shoes. "Mom, dad! I'm home!"

The reaction was immediate. Mary came around the corner almost at once, and Edwin got the impression she had been sitting right around the corner waiting for them to arrive. She looked away from Edwin disinterestedly and towards Mitzi, making him feel a bit annoyed as she rushed over. Mary dropped to her knees and hugged Mitzi tightly. "Oh, Mitzi! How did it go? What happened?"

Mitzi smiled and hugged Mary back. "Well, you were right. They said I am pregnant. You're going to be a grandmother."

Laughing, Mary hugged Mitzi tighter. "Oh that's so wonderful. I made a turkey tonight and a pecan pie, I know that's your favorite. We should go tell William right away! Have you picked out any names yet?"

"No, none yet. I haven't had much time to think of one yet." Mitzi looked happy beyond words as she enjoyed the embrace.

Mary looked around at everyone else, wiping happy tears from her eyes a she stood up. "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there girls. Hello Reni and Sabine. I…" She paused as she noticed Elera for the first time, who was smiling at the touching moment. "Oh. Hello. Who is this?"

"Right. Mom, this is Elera. She's… a friend of ours." Edwin felt a little awkward admitting to his mother the full truth. "Elera, this is Mary. My mother."

"I see." Mary's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"It's a pleasure. Thank you so much for allowing us into your home." Elera stepped forward and took Mary's hand in both of her own. "I feel blessed having met you."

Mary blushed and smiled despite herself. "Well, aren't you sweet. Um… when Edwin says friend, what does he mean exactly?" she asked politely.

There was that sinking feeling in his gut as Edwin looked to Elera, expecting the worst. Elera's expression didn't even falter as she responded. "Just that. I only met Edwin yesterday and everyone else today. I do hope to be better acquaintances with everyone in the future though. I'm also here to ensure that Mitzi's child has no birthing complications. I have a connection to the Light, and I can be there if any problems arise."

Mary's still skeptical expression broke completely into a relieved smile. "Oh! Of course. You're here to make sure the baby is ok. Right! That's fantastic." Smiling widely, Mary looked around at everyone. "Well, we have plenty of food for one more. Come on in everyone! I'll go wake William, he's taking a little nap right now. Where's Biyu tonight?"

Mitzi gestured vaguely. "Oh she's off on a mission right now. It's just us for tonight."

As Mary bustled off, Edwin let out a sigh of relief and looked gratefully to Elera. "Thank you. So much."

Avoiding Edwin's gaze, Elera blushed again. This was almost unfair, Edwin really felt an urge to grab her shoulders and kiss her. "I'm sorry for telling your mother a white lie. I thought it might be easier if we eased into this gently."

"No, it was perfect! You were great." Edwin beamed as Elera looked him in the eye and smiled back.

"Alright. Break it up." Reni punched Edwin in the side as she walked past. "Let's all go get some dinner."

Half an hour later, everyone was sitting down and eating dinner. Mitzi was seated at one end of the table, Edwin seated next to her and Reni on his other side. Elera was sitting across the table from him, and was mostly answering questions from everyone in a timid tone of voice as she picked at her food. Everyone had finished their food and were now waiting for Mary to serve dessert when it happened.

A clattering of metal on wood made Edwin look up. Elera was blushing and looking down at the ground. "Oh, I'm so clumsy. I've dropped my fork under the table."

"Here. I'll get it for you." Edwin chimed happily. He stretched his arm down, but couldn't quite reach the fork. Pushing his chair out, he crawled under the table and finally managed to grab it.

A flash of movement made Edwin look up curiously. He could see the tip of Elera's tail gently swishing back and forth between her legs. Then, Edwin was shocked when Elera's knees slowly spread apart. Elera's hand came down and moved her robe aside, exposing her very naked qnd shaved vagina to him. Edwin was frozen in place, fascinated as her hand came down and slowly opened her pussy lips with two fingers. He could see that the light blue of her skin gave way to a darker blue around her vulva. It was amazing. Edwin couldn't look away if he wanted.

"Edwin?" came Reni's voice. Edwin jumped, whacking his head on the table. As he groaned and rubbed his head, he felt a cold sweat start to break out as Reni poked her head down. "What's taking so long?"

Glancing over to Elera, Edwin saw that her robe was back in place like nothing had ever happened. "Uh, sorry" he muttered, getting up and back into his seat. "Couldn't find it for a sec. Here's your fork." Edwin passed it over to Elera, who smiled as if nothing strange had happened.

"Thank you, Edwin. I can use my spoon for the pie." Elera placed her fork down and looked to Mary as they kept talking pleasantly about knitting. Edwin thought her smile was just a little wider than usual.

Looking around, Edwin was expecting someone to glare at him, but everyone was chatting amongst themselves as they ate their slices of pie. Looking down at his plate, Edwin picked up his fork and started eating as well. He really didn't know how to completely process what had just happened.

* * *

It was later on that evening, and Edwin currently had Mitzi in his lap as everyone sat around the parlor enjoying a cup of tea. Though he joined in on the casual conversation, Edwin could not shake the encounter from earlier from from his mind. He had started to question if it even happened in the first place. Elera was acting completely normal, blushing and generally acting timid. He had considered asking Mitzi something about it, but he had a feeling that she would just call him crazy. Edwin was really starting to get bothered by this.

"Edwin." He looked up to see Mary staring at him and realized he had zoned out. Elera was helping Sabine to gather up the tea cups, chatting with a smile as they left the room. "Did you hear me? I said, why don't you bring Mitzi up to bed?"

Feeling confused, Edwin glanced down and saw that Mitzi was completely asleep. Her face was pressed into his chest as she breathed slowly. Edwin felt like a jerk, he hadn't even noticed. "Yeah. Alright." Standing up as he adjusted Mitzi in his arms, Edwin looked at Mary and smiled. "Thanks mom. Uh, what are we going to do about sleeping arrangements?"

"You and Mitzi are going to be sleeping together. Elera will have the guest room and Reni can argue with Sabine about who gets the basement or study." Mary looked quite happy as she reached down and brushed some hair from Mitzi's face. "I really am so happy for you two."

Smiling back, Edwin nodded. "Thanks mom." For a second, he had the strange urge to ask his mother to switch around the rooms. The fact that Elera would be sleeping in the room next to his gave him some pause. While part of him thought he was being silly, a larger part of him didn't. The fact that he thought he knew Elera's basic personality, only to be proven wrong was just a bit disconcerting. Edwin realized Mary was looking at him, a bit concerned, and so he smiled at her. "I'll bring her up to bed. Thanks again."

Mitzi only woke up briefly when Edwin brought her into his room, long enough to undress and put on one of Edwin's shirts which was much too big for her before drifting off again. Edwin also undressed, getting into some loose-fitting clothes as he got ready for bed. As Edwin got ready to lift the covers and crawl in next to Mitzi, he hesitated. Maybe it was the tea but he didn't feel very tired right now. The moon was full and soft light was streaming in through the window, so Edwin pulled a book from his bag and pulled a chair near the window. Sitting down he began to read, telling himself he would just finish one quick chapter.

That chapter turned into four when Edwin was finally starting to feel sleepy. The house was completely quiet by now, Edwin guessed that Reni and Sabine were most likely not coming by. Not that he was particularly expecting them to, but he wouldn't have been surprised. Looking down once more at the book, Edwin read the last bit he was on before placing a bookmark between the pages and closing it gently.

A soft knock on the door made Edwin's heart jump. He looked at the door, feeling slightly anxious as he made his way over without a sound. Taking a breath to steady his nerves, Edwin pulled the door open. Elera stood there, looking embarrassed as she clutched a cloth bundle. "Um, I'm very sorry to bother you. May I come in for just a moment? I promise I won't take long" she whispered.

Edwin nodded, and she smiled gratefully as she swept inside. Closing the door behind himself, Edwin turned to Elera and felt his heart beating quickly. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Edwin smiled. "So, what can I do for you?"

"Did I wake you, Edwin?" Elera look concerned as she stared into Edwin's face. "You seem a bit distressed."

"No, I'm fine. I was up anyway doing some reading. You didn't wake me at all. Now, what's up? Is everything alright?" Edwin smiled reassuringly. He felt just a little foolish for feeling awkward about this, it was like being wary of a lamb.

"Oh, everything is perfectly fine, yes. Everyone was so kind and wonderful tonight. It's quite heartwarming." Elera smiled serenely as she clasped her hands. "I was just coming here to tell you that I'm going downstairs, to take a bath."

Smiling back at Elera, Edwin took a moment to process that last sentence. "Um… huh?" It was very late at night. This didn't seem like the most appropriate time to bathe.

Elera lifted the cloth bundle in her arms, which Edwin could now see was a light change of clothes and a towel. "I'm going downstairs. To take a bath. I just thought that you should know."

Still smiling in confusion, Edwin nodded. "Yes, I heard you… uh, you don't need to inform me when you bathe. Feel free to do it whenever." He paused, then began hesitantly, "Did… did you want me to… come with…"

Putting a hand over her mouth, Elera looked flustered. "Oh, no! Nothing like that. I'd be far too embarrassed." Moving to the door, Elera turned back and smiled. "I'm very sorry to bother you with this. I must seem so scatterbrained right now."

"No, like I said you're fine. I don't mind talking with you at all, feel free to stop by anytime." Edwin had the urge to ask her about earlier, but he couldn't quite seem to get the words out as Elera opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

"Thank you. You're too kind, Edwin. Well, goodnight." Elera moved to close the door, but stopped just before it shut all the way. She peered in, and smiled at Edwin. "I'll just be downstairs. Bathing." With that, she left and shut the door behind her with a quiet snap.

Edwin just looked at the door for a few minutes. What in the hell was that all about? Though he had been sleepy before Elera's arrival, now he was wide awake again. Feeling a bit frustrated, Edwin sat back down and picked up his book.

It was nearly ten minutes later and Edwin had hardly gone two pages. He kept glancing up at the door as he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Why had she told him that she was taking a bath? That wasn't really normal any way you looked at it. But maybe Draenei just… did that sort of thing. Maybe they told their husbands if they were bathing. He didn't know. Yeah, that was probably it. It probably didn't seem strange at all to Elera. Yup.

A minute later Edwin stood up, grunting in annoyance as he put his book down, not even bothering to replace the bookmark. Not exactly knowing what he was doing, Edwin moved to the door and out into the hallway as quietly as he could. Edwin could be quiet as a mouse in the best of circumstances, and here in this familiar place he knew every squeaky floorboard and creaky stair. He moved down to the first floor in complete silence, ears open for any noise at all.

As he got down off the final stair Edwin moved towards the bathing room. It was a small stone room in the back of the house with a pump and a lacquered wooden tub, and as Edwin made his way to the door he could see that it was slightly ajar. Edwin could make out a faint light like that from a candle, and he could hear the faint sounds of Elera from inside. Feeling his heart pounding in his chest, Edwin moved to the door and glanced through the crack.

Elera was inside, completely naked as she sat in the tub. Edwin could clearly see her breasts and the dark blue nipples as she lay back. Her hands were in her lap, and for a moment Edwin thought that she was cleaning herself. However it didn't take long for him to realize that Elera was panting, her eyes closed as her hands went to work. 'She's masturbating' Edwin thought to himself, fascinated.

Once again finding himself practically unable to move, Edwin just stared in wonder as Elera's breathing began to speed up. One hand came up to her mouth and she pushed her index finger between her lips, moaning and sucking on it. Finally, after a few minutes of building tension, Elera arched her back and cried out softly. Her body relaxed, and she just smiled as she closed her eyes and soaked in the tub.

Edwin had just stood up and was thinking about going back when Elera suddenly opened her eyes and looked right at him. Edwin felt his heart stop. How in the hell was he going to explain this? That worry turned to confusion when Elera just smiled, looked back up to the ceiling and closed her eyes, settling more comfortably in the tub. He stood there for a long moment, feeling confused. She had known he was there. She had probably left the door ajar on purpose if Edwin had to guess. Was she… inviting him inside?

Though part of Edwin demanded he march into that room and find out, the slightly more rational part said that Edwin should probably just go to sleep and deal with Elera tomorrow. He grudgingly left to go upstairs, but not before taking one more peek at Elera's very nice tits.

* * *

The next morning Edwin awoke to the sun hitting his face. Groaning he sat up straight, glancing around. Mitzi was gone, and he could hear the sounds of people moving about downstairs. Getting dressed, Edwin made his way downstairs and found everyone in the kitchen milling about. Sabine was currently preparing breakfast with Elera and Reni, and she looked up with a smile when she saw Edwin. "Well, you're just in time. We were about to come upstairs and wake you. How did you sleep?"

"Oh, I slept fine" Edwin lied with a smile. After saying good morning to Mitzi and kissing her, Edwin met Elera's gaze and tried to act normal. "Morning. Was everything alright for you last night?"

"Yes, thank you." Elera smiled back briefly before looking back to Reni and Sabine as they continued their conversation. Edwin was glad that she seemed to be getting along well with everyone, even if he was a bit weirded out by her.

Mary, who looked grateful to be the one not making a meal for once, glanced at Edwin as he sat down at the table next to Mitzi. "Good morning, Edwin. I was just talking to Mitzi before you showed up, you have the day off today right?"

Edwin nodded. "Yeah. We're going to have to head back to Dalaran tomorrow around noon but I have the day off at least."

"Excellent." Mary pointed to a couple of wrapped packages near the door. "Your father and I are going to be visiting some friends in Westfall to bring them some pies. We're going to be staying there tonight, so I was wondering if you wouldn't mind watching the house until tomorrow."

"If you can't it's really no big deal." William looked up from his pad of paper with a smile as his eyes flicked to Sabine. "Your mother and I know you're busy."

"Well…" Edwin considered. He had been thinking of going back today, but an evening with the girls without having to worry about his parents might be a good thing. "Sure. Why not? I wouldn't mind relaxing with everyone today."

"Great! In that case, I installed a hammock out back just a couple days ago. You should use it this afternoon sometime." William looked just a bit too proud of his relatively minor achievement.

As his parents turned back to each other and began chatting, Mitzi pulled on his sleeve. He leaned in and she whispered, "When they leave, maybe we could use the hammock after we take a bath."

Grinning, Edwin kissed Mitzi. "Sounds good to me." Edwin found his weird mood from last night practically gone once again as he sat back and began chatting with his parents.

The day seemed to pass by in a flash. After his parents left, Edwin and Mitzi took a bath and then a long nap out in the backyard. When he awoke, Edwin went on a light run with Reni and Sabine before coming back home to the lunch Elera and Mitzi had cooked. While the girls all had some afternoon tea and began to talk with Mitzi about the baby, Edwin excused himself and took a slow leisurely walk through the backyard garden.

While pulling up a few stray weeds, Edwin saw the back door open and Sabine come out, waving at him as she sauntered over. "Edwin! Elera is teaching Mitzi and Reni how to knit, so I thought I would join you for a bit."

Smiling back at her, Edwin offered Sabine his arm, which she took gratefully. "Sounds good. Why don't we take a walk? I'd like to get out for a little while."

The two made idle conversation as they made their way down the road towards the nearby pond. As the two sat down and began skipping rocks across the surface in silence, Sabine smiled idly. "Well, I'm just glad that everyone seems to be getting along with Elera. She's a nice girl. I had some… concerns, but I'm glad that they were unfounded."

"Concerns?" Edwin looked up curiously. "What do you mean exactly?"

"Oh it's nothing." Sabine skipped a stone halfway across the pond with a flick of the wrist. "I'll sound silly even saying it."

"Go on." Edwin tried to sound nonchalant as possible. "Humor me, why not?"

"Well…" Sabine hesitated, turning a rock over and over in her hand. "Sometimes… I just get the feeling like she smiles too much, that's all. I don't know how to explain it better than that."

Edwin threw a few more rocks before speaking again. "Do you think she's dangerous?"

Sabine shook her head. "No. I wondered that at first but I don't think she has anything bad planned. Plus I don't think her brother would give her to us if she was going to be a danger. He seemed genuinely concerned about the well-being of the baby."

"True." Edwin did agree with that last part, he didn't think that Melkhen would have sent Elera here if there was a chance she would be a threat. For one, if she was a threat then it was just a very stupid idea. Everyone here could handle themselves in a fight, including Mitzi herself. Not only that but if Elera DID somehow hurt Mitzi or his child then, Legion or no, he would make those priests pay dearly. Melkhen had to know that. "I don't really think she's a threat either." Letting out a huge sigh, Edwin put his head in his hands. It's not like he ever truly believed she was a danger. It was just that he didn't have any idea what she was really thinking and it was starting to bother him. Did she just like teasing him? Did she want Edwin to fuck her?

"Hey, Edwin" Sabine said with a pout as she poked him in the arm. "You're starting to zone out. Why did you ask? Do you think there's something wrong with her?"

"No, nothing like that… I think I'm just on the same page as you. Maybe she just smiles too much, but I feel like she's not being completely truthful." Edwin noticed that there were three teenage boys across the pond, all staring at Sabine as they whispered to one another. He felt a bit amused when the biggest one broke away from his friends and started towards Sabine with a self-assured stride, only to lose confidence halfway there and wander back to his friends with a red face.

Though Sabine didn't even glance towards the teenagers she smiled with satisfaction as she leaned in towards Edwin. "I suppose we don't need to figure it out any time soon… I hope you don't worry too much about it tonight for example." She began kissing his neck, her lips gliding over his skin. "It's my night with you. Mitzi told me she wants to go to bed early, so I was thinking maybe we could have some fun."

Edwin couldn't help but grin as he felt his erection stiffen. Maybe that's what he needed to get Elera's weird actions out of his mind. Edwin had some new silk scarves that he had been waiting to use on Sabine after all. "Alright. Sounds good." He glanced over to the boys who were watching them with rapt attention. "You know we're being observed."

"Then let's give them something to look at." Sabine moved her body close to his as she kissed Edwin, her tongue lazily coiling around his. Edwin reached down with both hands and grabbed her ass, making her moan with appreciation as they continued to make out.

Breaking the kiss off, Edwin glanced at the boys one last time, who were watching with open mouths. Looking back at Sabine, he grinned. "Alright, let's head back. I wonder what we should do for dinner?"

* * *

With a sense of satisfaction, Edwin finished off his portion of fruit and sat back. Dinner had been quite good, Elera and Reni made some simple fried rice with soy sauce that ended up being pretty tasty. Everyone was a bit tense as they cleaned up, Edwin knew that tomorrow they'd have to go back to Dalaran, and more than likely he would be deployed back to Suramar. He was considering cleaning his weapons tonight, he'd probably be using them soon.

His train of thought was stopped suddenly when Mitzi yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Edwin, I'm going to bed. Mary said I could sleep in their bed, she just cleaned the sheets the other day."

"Alright." Edwin leaned down and kissed Mitzi long and slow, savoring the moment. "Get some rest. You're sleeping for two now after all."

"Stop it" Mitzi said with a giggle. "You're embarrassing me."

As Edwin smiled back and kissed Mitzi again, Elera stood up and sighed. "I think I'll do the same. I didn't get much sleep last night."

Edwin was surprised. For some reason he thought that Elera would stay up to wait for him again. He found himself feeling a little annoyed for some reason. "Oh. Ok. Good night, Elera."

"Good night Edwin." Elera smiled as she brushed past Edwin and went up the stairs, not even looking back.

Reni looked a bit lonely as she came up to Mitzi and tugged at her shirt. "Mitzi, is it ok if I sleep with you tonight? I don't like the bed in the study and the basement is too cold."

Mitzi nodded back and took Reni's hand. "Of course. The bed's plenty big enough. I'm going to go get ready, I'll see you there soon." Glancing to Edwin, she smiled. "Good night. I love you Edwin."

"Love you too." Edwin waved as Mitzi left the room, feeling warm inside. Looking down, he saw Reni waiting patiently and broke into a grin. He scooped her up in his arms as she gasped. "That goes for you too you know" he purred, kissing her.

"Oh, I wish it was my night." Reni glanced enviously at Sabine, who had a smug look on her face. "I'm next you know. I want a whole day with you, ok? Promise me?"

"I promise. I'll wear you out." Edwin kissed Reni again, feeling her tongue exploring his mouth before Reni reluctantly pulled away.

Sighing as she was put down, Reni stretched and followed after Mitzi. "Alright. See you guys tomorrow."

Edwin was quiet as he sat down across from Sabine. He poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher in the middle of the table and spent a relaxing moment just enjoying the ice cold liquid. Finally he looked directly at Sabine, who was staring back at him with rapt attention. "Alright. I'm going to have another glass of water. You're going to go up to my room, undress and wait for me."

"Yes master." Sabine looked excited as she stood up. "Should I get anything else ready?"

"Hmm…" Edwin thought absentmindedly as he sipped at his water. "There's a large yellow candle in my bag. Go ahead and light that for me."

"A candle?" Sabine looked confused. "Don't you already have one in your room?"

"Sabine." Edwin's voice was severe, and he narrowed his eyes. "Did you just question me? Am I going to have to discipline you tonight?"

Though Sabine did look apologetic, Edwin suppressed a smile when he saw her grind her thighs together. "I'm so sorry. I'll do it right away, master."

Edwin gave Sabine a quick nod as she scampered up the stairs. "Good girl."

* * *

It was around fifteen minutes later when Edwin entered his room. His cock became hard almost at once as his eyes fell on Sabine, who was sitting on the ground next to his bed almost completely naked save for her panties. She smiled seductively as she ran a hand from her neck to her waist. "I'm sorry but I didn't quite follow your instructions, master. I left some clothes on. May I please enter your bed?"

Shaking his head, Edwin approached the bed as he pulled his shirt off. "You bad girl. I guess I spoke too soon earlier. Go on, get in. I'm not going to discipline my pet on the floor tonight." Remembering the candle, Edwin reached into his bag and took out a clean but used sheet. It would be getting some use tonight. "Oh, and spread this on the bed. Lay on top of it."

"Thank you master. Please forgive me" Sabine simpered as she caught the sheet, spread it out and crawled into the bed. She watched eagerly as Edwin began to take his clothes off, stripping down to his boxers. "I know I'm no good at taking orders."

"Don't worry" Edwin murmured as he crawled on top of her. "I've got plenty of time to teach you right." He leaned in and kissed Sabine savagely, his body pressing against hers as his tongue explored her mouth. Breaking the kiss he got back up off the bed, Edwin walked over to his bag. "Let's get your punishment over with then." Grinning, he took a silk buncle from the bag and turned back to the bed. "Close your eyes." As Sabine obeyed and Edwin approached the bed, something caught his eye and made him pause for a moment. It was a silly thing, but the door to his closet was open a crack. Edwin distinctly remembered it being shut when he left. He had no idea why, but he felt the urge to go and look in the closet to make sure nothing was there.

Sabine's impatient moan brought Edwin back to the moment. Right, it was probably just Sabine. She had probably just opened his closet for… some good reason. That made the most sense. Wasting no more time, Edwin pulled a black silk blindfold from the bundle and slipped it around Sabine's eyes before fastening it in place. Sabine giggled as Edwin took four more long silk scarves from his bag and began tying her hands and feet to the four bedposts. "What do you plan to do, master?" she asked breathlessly.

Not answering for a moment, Edwin leaned down to Sabine's chest and put his ear on her chest, between her breasts. He could hear the heart beating quickly within. "I love hearing your heartbeat after I tie you up you know. It sounds so excited. So expectant." He sat up and smiled as he ran a hand down her body. "Now do you really want me to spoil the fun for you?" Glancing to his bedside table, he was pleased when he saw the big yellow candle he had brought burning there. It was one he had picked up in the same shop as the scarves, it was supposed to have a lower melting point than a normal candle. Not all that useful as an actual candle, but perfect for Edwin's needs. Picking the candle up, Edwin hovered it over Sabine, being very careful not to let anything spill. Though he had tried this on himself first to make sure it wasn't too painful, his concern for Sabine's well-being broke through for a moment. "Remember. The safe word is banana."

"I trust you, master. Please… I've been such a bad girl" Sabine whined, squirming against the scarves holding her in place. Deciding to hell with it, Edwin hovered the candle high above Sabine's abdomen and let some wax drip down. As soon as it hit her skin Sabine arched her back and cried out, moaning loudly. "Th-the candle? I… I didn't even know…" she managed to gasp out as Edwin brought the candle lower and dribbled some along her thighs.

"It's just something I found out about. I knew you'd like it." Edwin grinned wider as he very carefully aimed and dripped a bit of wax onto Sabine's left breast. It hit just below the nipple, making both harden up completely. The urge to lean in and suck Sabine's breasts was halted however when Edwin heard a noise, which undoubtedly came from the closet. It was quiet but very noticeable to him, it sounded like someone shifting position. He froze in place, candle poised and just about to drip some wax on the other breast. Quietly, Edwin put the candle down on the bedside table. "One second, Sabine."

"Huh?" Sabine looked confused as Edwin got up off the bed. She looked around, unable to see through her blindfold. "What's going on?"

Ignoring her for the moment, Edwin made his way to the closet door and without waiting thrust it open. Elera was sitting there on the floor, dressed in a loose-fitting shirt and shorts. She didn't look surprised at all to see Edwin, in fact she seemed serene as she stood up. "Well. You found me quicker than I thought."

"Elera?!" Sabine cried, looking confused. "Edwin, what's happening?" Feeling rather annoyed, Edwin walked over to Sabine and pulled the blindfold off. She lifted her head and glared at Elera as she walked over to the bed. "What are you doing here? Didn't you go to bed?"

"I told everyone I was going to bed, yes." Elera smiled down at Sabine, and Edwin watched in fascination as she reached out and grazed Sabine's stomach with her fingertips. "I lied."

"Wh-why?" Sabine asked, her voice a bit nervous as Elera continued to brush her skin, making the flesh erupt in goosebumps.

"I wanted you to think I was going to bed so I could hide in Edwin's closet of course." Elera looked at Sabine incredulously, that smile never leaving her lips. "I was so frustrated. I thought for sure he was going to pounce on me last night. I gave him the perfect opportunity, but I guess he has a little more self control than I thought."

"I… I wasn't exactly sure if that's what you wanted." Edwin felt strangely embarrassed right now, like he had let her down. "Trust me, I wanted to."

"I know you did." Elera turned to Edwin this time and moved in close, pressing her body against his. "Even before I saw you watching me… I could feel your gaze. I didn't make you uncomfortable, did I?"

Edwin grinned back as he reached up and brushed some hair out of Elera's face. He couldn't seem to stop looking into her eyes. "Not at all. You were pretty hot. I was just kind of confused."

"Well, I admit. I was teasing you. It was just too funny, watching you turn so red. You were pretty cute." Elera draped her arms lazily around Edwin's neck.

"Teasing me? You know I'm going to have to take some revenge then." Edwin tilted her head up towards his and kissed her. He wasn't too surprised when her tongue met his, and Elera pressed her body tight against his as she kissed him back with passion. The moment was intense for Edwin, Elera moved her hands down to his chest as he reached down and grabbed her ass with both hands. His cock felt like it was straining against his boxers now, the urge to throw Elera down on the bed and fuck her was almost overwhelming.

"Excuse me. What the fuck is going on?!" Sabine looked absolutely furious now as she strained against her bonds. "What the hell are you two talking about?

Breaking off the kiss with a slightly annoyed look, Elera glanced at Sabine. "Did he really not say anything? Well, if you must have me explain it then I've been exposing myself to Edwin to seduce him."

The anger in Sabine's face had drained to be replaced with confusion again. "But… you're a holy woman. You were blushing just talking to him!"

"Oh. My little act fooled you?" Elera's expression turned simpering, and her eyes shone with innocence. "Would you prefer I act like this?" She sat down on the bed and glanced at the floor shyly. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be in a man's room this late at night. What will become of my purity?"

"Act? Are you saying you're not really here to help Mitzi?" Sabine looked angry again, and even Edwin glanced at Elera with a frown. This was something he had in the back of his mind as well.

Elera let out a giggle and slapped Sabine lightly on the hip. "Now, don't go accusing me of anything like that. Of course I'm here to help. That's just not the only reason. What my brother said wasn't a lie, I'm not exactly… popular among Draenei men." She looked to Edwin, her eyes hungry. "So when I heard about you I was interested. I had a feeling that you didn't care about those… little things that bother other men."

Feeling a bit skeptical, Edwin narrowed his eyes. "What sort of 'little things' are you talking about exactly?"

"Oh, you know how it is." Elera looked annoyed as she sat back. "You do something that everyone else doesn't agree with and suddenly you're a social pariah. My parents died when I was young, and my brother took up the task of teaching me about the Light. But I always felt like there was something he wasn't telling me, so one day I went and found a teacher that taught me what I was searching for." Elera held a hand up, and a dark purple pulse seemed to run down her arm. "The power of Shadow. Naturally, I kept my teachings with my new teacher secret from everyone. Then one day, without warning, she turned to the Legion. She took a few of my fellow students and left to join with them. They tried to take me too, but I resisted. I never wanted to succumb to the temptations of the Legion, I only wished to discover what was being kept from me. My punishment was relatively minor and I was allowed to stay with my people, but since then I have practically been made an outcast. I believe my devotion to the Light is strong. It still answers my call, and I have never lost faith. I just think that we must know the darkness to properly appreciate the light sometimes."

It took a moment for Edwin to consider this as Elera watched his face, for the first time looking worried. "Oh. Well, you're right. That doesn't bother me at all. I thought it was going to be something more serious."

"It… doesn't bother you? At all?" Elera looked a bit uncertain. "I know many find me distrustful because of that."

"You just said that the Light still answers your call, right? Then who cares?" Edwin grinned down at her reassuringly. "We all have a dark part within us. Trust me, I know. This doesn't bother me. I honestly thought you were going to tell me about your habit of showing off."

Elera smiled as she thought about it. "I think of that more as something fun rather than a problem. I started doing that hundreds of years ago, when I first started being asked out by men. They'd all be the same, trying to change me and make me renounce the Shadow. None of them would even try to make a move. I got bored of most of them quickly, one night I just remember getting fed up with the guy I was at dinner with, so I exposed myself to him. I figured that he would at least react to that, but he just got flustered and left at once. I was a bit upset that he left, but I also felt a bit turned on. So I started doing it more often, at first just to stop dates I didn't like but then I just began to like doing it." She looked at Edwin with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't run away. You got flustered, which I thought was cute. You have sex with four women on a regular basis and I still made you jump."

"Well… it was just kind of unexpected. Plus you're quite beautiful. I just couldn't believe you were doing it to me, I guess." Once again Edwin felt a little awkward.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. I didn't choose you just because I thought you would accept me." Elera stood up and moved close to Edwin again, moving her hands across his chest, admiring his muscles. "I find you very handsome. That and you were very kind when we spoke. I think I'm decent at judging people, and I believe you have a warm heart. I've really enjoyed these last two days. I would be very happy if you were to let me stay as a member of your family."

"Elera." Edwin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. Her strange blue glowing eyes seemed transfixed on his. "I want that too" he said simply as he kissed her again. It was much more intense than last time as Elera pushed against him and began exploring his back with her hands. Edwin slid a hand down her back and slipped it down her shorts, grabbing Elera's ass again as she moaned into his mouth. Elera was eagerly sucking at his tongue, it was as if an almost desperate lust had seized her.

"Excuse me" Sabine said, not looking amused at all as she glared at the two of them. "I'm sorry to interrupt this and I'm glad you're… with us now, but this is MY night with Edwin."

Breaking off the kiss, Elera looked suddenly apologetic. "Oh I'm so sorry. Here I am making out and we forgot all about you." Pulling away reluctantly from Edwin, Elera walked around to the other side of the bed and knelt down near Sabine's head. She reached out and stroked Sabine's hair with a lazy smile for a moment before looking to Edwin. "She is right. You should be fucking her first obviously."

"No, I meant this is my night with Edwin by myself!" Sabine looked angry but a bit uncertain now.

"Oh Sabine, please?" Elera pouted and laid her head down on the bed next to Sabine's. "I promise it'll just be for tonight. Am I really supposed to go back to my room now?" Elera's hand moved down Sabine's body, brushing her right nipple and making the elf gasp. "I really want to watch him make you scream out loud. Pretty please?"

"Well…" Sabine's eyes met Elera's and there was a notable pause. "I-if it's just for tonight…"

"Thank you Sabine." Edwin's cock jumped when Elera leaned in and kissed Sabine. There was a moment where Edwin was sure Sabine was going to pull away, but to his surprise she kissed back. It was a little hesitant at first but soon the two were panting as their tongues coiled around one another. Elera playfully bit Sabine's bottom lip before pulling away with a smile. "You're a splendid kisser" she purred.

"Sabine." Edwin met her gaze as she turned to him. "Did I give you permission to kiss her?"

"But she kissed me!" Sabine looked upset, until Edwin reached down and started to untie the scarves around her ankles. "No, wait, I…"

Edwin took one of the scarves and slipped in Sabine's mouth, cutting off any further words as he fastened it tight. "I didn't ask you for excuses. You're getting awfully cheeky." Moving to his bag, Edwin reached inside and pulled out something else he had picked up in Dalaran. Grinning, he turned back to Sabine and moved over to her, positioning himself between her splayed legs. He held up two clothespins, and before Sabine could do anything he reached out and clamped them down on her nipples. She moaned into her gag, her legs wrapping around Edwin. He laughed and slapped her thigh. "You sure are a horny little slut today, aren't you?" Sabine looked at Edwin with lust in her eyes, and simply nodded.

Chuckling, Edwin shrugged off Sabine's legs and stood up off the bed. With a quick look and smirk at Elera, he pulled his boxers off. She audibly gasped as she put a hand to her mouth. "Oh my. You… you're bigger than I thought you would be."

"Don't worry, I didn't break Mitzi in half. I think you'll be fine." Edwin couldn't help but feel a bit smug.

Nodding, Elera smiled. "Remember to be gentle with me. This IS my first time." Looking back down at Sabine, Elera smiled and stroked her hair. "But be rough with her. I love watching this."

"Well, you heard her." Edwin's grin was huge now as he lined his penis up with Sabine's wet vagina. Not waiting another moment he thrust inside her. Grabbing her ass he lifted Sabine's rear off the bed to get a better angle before he started fucking her vigorously. He felt her legs wrap around him once again as she leaned her head back and groaned into the gag. "Elera. Could you do me a favor and pick up that candle for me?" he managed, staring directly into Sabine's eyes.

Looking away from Edwin's penis for a moment Elera looked up at Edwin with some surprise but nodded. "Alright." Standing up, Elera reached out and picked up the candle before hovering it over Sabine's body. "Where do you want it?"

"Why don't you choose?" Rearing one hand back, Edwin slapped Sabine's ass with a loud smack. "You can even spill some on me if that's your thing" he added with a smirk.

"Hmmm…" Elera smiled down at Sabine, who looked up at her as Edwin continued to fuck her. She hovered the candle high over Sabine for a moment before letting some wax drip down onto her tits. Some of the random drops hit her breasts, but one notable spill landed right on her left nipple, covering the clothespin and coating the sensitive flesh. Sabine gasped through the gag as her breathing became increasingly rapid.

Edwin smacked Sabine's ass harder as he continued to hump against her. "You just can't get enough of this, can you?" Reaching down, Edwin pulled the clothespin off the nipple free of wax. Leaning down he clamped the nipple with his teeth and pulled, careful not to break the skin. He flicked at the tip with his tongue, delighting in the muffled gasps and cries. Letting go of her nipple Edwin's teeth roamed up her body, nibbling the flesh as he made his way up to her neck. One hand came up and grabbed Sabine's chin, turning it to face him. With the other hand he yanked off the gag, freeing her mouth before Edwin kissed her. He forced his tongue into her mouth as he continued to fuck her, savoring the sensation before breaking it off. "Tell me who you belong to!"

"I-I belong to you, master! I'm your… your slut!" Sabine cried as Edwin's hand came down and savagely pinched her nipple. As Edwin sat up Elera brought the candle over again, dribbling some wax onto Sabine's stomach. She yelled in ecstasy, arms straining against her restraints as she tightened her legs around Edwin's waist. Edwin slowed down as Sabine's body loosened up, her legs flopping down to the bed as she panted to regain her breath.

Pulling out of Sabine, Edwin stroked his still erect penis. Looking to Elera, he nodded towards Sabine's bound arm. "Untie her arm. I'll get the other one."

As Elera wordlessly smiled and began untying Sabine's right wrist, Sabine frowned. "A-are we done then?"

"Done?" Edwin smirked as he unbound Sabine's left wrist. When she was free, Edwin grabbed her waist and flipped her over onto her stomach with a grunt. Reaching out he took both of Sabine's wrists and began tying them together with a scarf. "You just came without permission. Do you even SEE how hard I am?" Edwin smacked Sabine's ass hard, making her yelp. "I'm not nearly done punishing you yet. Now, apologize to me!" he cried as he slapped the other cheek.

"I'm sorry!" Sabine sounded quite genuine, though Edwin was acutely aware that she lifted her ass in the air for easier access. "You're too good, master… I can't help myself…" she murmured between slaps.

Looking over to Elera, Edwin grinned when he saw that she was utterly fixated on the scene in front of her. She had one hand firmly down her pants and was biting her bottom lip as she watched events unfold. Elera met Edwin's gaze and his cock jumped, she looked almost desperate for him. He managed to exercise some self-control, he wanted Elera to watch this. Turning back to Sabine he slapped her ass one more time before lining up his cock with her pussy and slamming it in. Reaching out with his right hand Edwin grabbed Sabine's hair and pulled, jerking her head back as he started fucking her. "Now, I want you to say 'thank you'. Thank me for taking you in, you hear me?"

"Th-thank you master…" The expression on Sabine's face was so incredibly sexy to Edwin right now. She was drooling a bit from the corner of her mouth, her eyes half open as she looked longingly at him. "I feel so loved… thank you for taking in a dirty slut like me."

Laughing triumphantly, Edwin let go of Sabine's hair and grabbed her bound wrists, pulling them harshly as he slapped her butt again with his free hand. "I guess I'm just too kind!" His free hand moved around to her clitoris, playing with it idly as he continued thrusting.

"P-please come inside me" Sabine gasped, shutting her eyes tight. "I-I'm so jealous of Mitzi… I wanted to be the first one to give you a child, master…"

"Wow, just look at you go." Elera looked admiringly at the scene in front of her as she stood up, sitting down next to Edwin. "Sabine really is a naughty girl, isn't she?" Elera put a hand to Edwin's chest, feeling his sweating body before moving down to Sabine's back.

"She's not the only one" Edwin stated with a smirk, noting how Elera's breathing had quickened.

"I'm not naughty or dirty" Elera said with a pout. She leaned in and kissed Edwin as he continued to fuck Sabine, her tongue coiling around his before breaking it off reluctantly. "I'm just true to myself. I just know what I like. And what I like is you, Edwin. Can I belong to you too? I want to feel as good as she does."

Edwin couldn't help but chuckle, his breathing quickening as he let go of Sabine's wrists and grabbed her ass with both hands, fucking her as hard as he could. He slapped her again as he grinned savagely and looked Elera in the eye. "I'll gladly take you in, like I said I'm too kind. Plus, I want to fuck you so bad right now I can hardly stand it. I'd have to be the stupidest man alive to say no." Feeling a bit mischievous, Edwin took his left pinky finger and found Sabine's puckering anus. "You have my permission to come now, Sabine." Without warning he pressed his finger against the entrance and eased it inside, stroking gently. The reaction was immediate as Sabine seized up, shoving her face into the bed and screaming as she orgasmed, her whole body seizing up. Edwin groaned as he thrust deep into Sabine and came, filling her completely. The two stayed like that for a moment, Edwin letting out a sigh of relief as he pulled out.

"Thank you master" Sabine gasped, her breathing labored. "I… I love you" she stated, a bit hesitantly as she avoided his gaze.

Edwin smirked as he loosened the scarf around Sabine's wrists. Grabbing her by the waist, Edwin flipped her back over. "That's the first time you've told me that" he said casually, crawling on top of her and kissing her. "I love you too, Sabine." The two took a long moment to make out, Sabine leaning desperately into him before he broke it off. "Now… if you'll excuse me" he whispered into her ear before he sat back on the bed. Looking to Elera, Edwin's smirk widened. His penis, which was briefly limp, jumped as he met her gaze. "Elera… could you strip for me?"

Nodding, Elera stood up off the bed. Wordlessly she reached down to the loose shirt she had on and pulled it up and over her head. She wasn't wearing a bra, and her breasts came spilling free as Elera tossed the shirt aside. He already felt enthralled by the perfect light blue skin and dark blue nipples, similar yet so different from Sabine's. With just a hint of hesitation Elera reached down to her shorts and unbuttoned them before dropping them to the floor. She stood there perfectly naked now, looking expectantly at Edwin. Her vagina was perfectly smooth and bare, it looked so nice that Edwin felt the urge to lick it rising. "Well?"

Reaching out, Edwin took Elera's hand and pulled her into his lap. "You're absolutely beautiful." He kissed her again, one hand moving through her hair as the other grabbed her ass. Elera moaned into Edwin's mouth as he moved his hand to stroke her wet pussy, and Edwin felt like he couldn't wait any longer. Breaking the kiss he moved to Elera's neck, kissing and nibbling at the flesh as he made his way down to her breasts. With a grin he clamped his mouth around her left nipple, sucking eagerly as he flicked the tip with his tongue.

"E-Edwin…" Elera gasped, putting her hands on his shoulders as her breathing quickened. Edwin could feel her already hard nipple tighten up even further as he moved over to her other breast. He stopped rubbing her vagina as he took two fingers and eased them into Elera. With a sharp intake of breath Elera leaned down and began kissing Edwin's neck, letting out small moans that were almost intoxicating to him. "Please… don't make me wait any more…"

"Don't be so impatient" Edwin murmured as he slowly moved his fingers in and out of Elera, savoring the feel. "I want to enjoy you all night… but, if you insist…" Removing his fingers from her pussy, Edwin reached down and grabbed Elera's ass with both hands. With a grunt, he lifted her up off the bed as her knees came down to steady herself. "I'm sorry but this might hurt a little if it's your first time." Edwin lined his penis up with the slit of her vagina and hesitated only for a moment before pushing Elera down onto his cock. He grinned triumphantly as he felt Elera slide slowly down his shaft, until her pelvis touched his. "You feel amazing." Edwin gently lifted Elera's rear up and moved her back down, groaning with pleasure.

"Y-you're so big…" Elera moaned as she put her hands on Edwin's shoulders and began moving her hips in rhythm with him.

"Your skin is so smooth, I love it" Edwin remarked, his hands gliding over her skin as he continued thrusting up into Elera. They came up to grab her tits, eagerly groping them as his fingers found her nipples and pinched. He grinned as Elera's breathing increased. "And these tits are amazing! I don't even care how much dark magic you use if I can keep fucking you like this."

"You can use them whenever you want, you know." Elera smiled at Edwin, lust in her eyes as she kissed him eagerly. She ground her waist into Edwin's pelvis as she bit her bottom lip. "I told you, if you want me then I belong to you."

Feeling his cock jump eagerly, Edwin smiled as he wrapped his arms around Elera and stood up. Turning towards the bed he threw her down, panting eagerly as he climbed on top of her. He took one of her legs and slung it over his shoulder before plunging his penis back into Elera and humping her harder than before. "You might regret this, you know. I'll be your owner, but I'm going to demand a lot from you. Are you prepared for me to fuck you every day until I die?"

"E-even if you're an old man…" Elera panted, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I... I want to belong to you… nobody has ever made me feel as wanted as you."

"What is WRONG with these guys where you're from?" Edwin marveled, nibbling at Elera's neck as he fucked her. "You're so fucking gorgeous, I can't even believe I'm having sex with you right now." A brief noise from Edwin's side made him glance over to Sabine, who had sat up and was watching him with rapt attention. Edwin was a bit amused to see that Sabine looked more than a bit jealous as she stroked her pussy. With a smirk, he decided to tease Sabine just a bit more, Turning back to Elera, Edwin grabbed her other leg and threw it over his free shoulder. Getting a firm grip on Elera's waist, Edwin started fucking her harder, his pelvis slapping against her bare skin with every thrust. "Tell me who you belong to" Edwin said, his breath becoming more labored as he felt an orgasm building.

"You, Edwin… I belong to you…" Elera replied, hands gripping the sheets as she closed her eyes. They stayed like that for a few minutes, Elera gasping and yelping as Edwin fucked her eagerly. As he felt himself nearing his limit, Edwin snaked a hand down to her pussy and with two fingers he began to tease her clitoris. That seemed to be it for Elera as she screamed out loud, her back arching as she pushed her hips against Edwin. With a victorious grin Edwin came inside of her, shuddering with pleasure as Elera's body began to relax.

"That… was pretty amazing" Edwin said with a smile, shrugging Elera's legs off his shoulders. He bent down and kissed Elera again and was amused when she kissed him back hungrily, her tongue wild as it explored his mouth.

"You were great" Elera confirmed with a giggle as her hands came up to feel his chest. "I can't wait to go again."

"Just a second!" Sabine looked rather upset now. "This is supposed to be MY night with Edwin."

Getting up off Elera quite a bit reluctantly, Edwin nodded. "Right... I'm sorry, you're right. I've been ignoring you these last few minutes." An idea flitted through Edwin's head, and he smiled before glancing at Elera. "Elera. Go kiss Sabine again."

Both girls looked a bit surprised. "Now?" Elera asked, a bit uncertainly.

"You belong to me, don't you?" he asked, his tone even and playful. "Yes. Now. I'd like to rest for a second, and I think it's hot."

"But… I meant…" Sabine started to say, looking at Elera out of the corner of her eye.

"Sabine. You're going to be a good girl and be quiet until I give you permission to speak." Reaching out, Edwin took her chin firmly in his hand as he looked into her eyes. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes" Sabine replied, eyes locked on Edwin.

"Yes what?" Edwin shot back, tightening his grip just a little.

Sabine smiled, even though she was obviously trying to stop herself. "Yes, master."

Feeling quite excited now, Edwin moved aside and looked to Elera expectantly. "Alright. Go ahead."

Elera glanced to Sabine before shiting closer until the two were kneeling in front of each other. She reached out and moved her hands to Sabine's shoulders. "You know, I don't mind this at all" Elera commented, moving her hands down Sabine's sides. "Watching you two made me realize how beautiful you are." Elera moved in and kissed Sabine on the collarbone as her hands continued to explore her skin. Sabine's hands hesitated, but they came up to feel Elera's stomach before she too began to move her hands over Elera's skin. The two made brief eye contact as Elera pulled away slightly from Sabine, and then the two were kissing. It was sensual and almost painfully slow at first as they made out, their tongues lazily coiling around one another.

"Touch her tits, Sabine" Edwin barked, quite enjoying himself. Their combined blue skin and glowing eyes made this extremely hot for him. On command Sabine reached up and groped Elera's breasts, pinching the nipples lightly and making her gasp in surprise.

"Oh, I'm gonna get you for that" Elera said with a grin before taking Sabine by the shoulders. With a grunt she pushed Sabine down onto the bed before straddling her. Leaning in, Elera took one of Sabine's nipples in her mouth and began licking it as one hand came down and began playing with Sabine's pussy.

"Hey, w-wait…" Sabine muttered, her breathing quickening.

"Sabine." Edwin was ready, slipping the silk scarf back in her mouth and tying it in place. "What did I tell you about talking? Just lay back and relax. That's an order."

Smiling at Edwin, Elera took two fingers and inserted them into Sabine, who began to pant through her gag. She kept playing with Sabine's tits for a few minutes, licking and teasing them with her fingers. Finally she smirked and slipped down Sabine's body even lower, until she was level with her pussy. "You're quite lovely, Sabine. Maybe it's just the fact that you're blue, but… I must admit, I do enjoy this." Elera extended her tongue and ran it slowly along Sabine's labia, making the elf cry out into her gag. She began earnestly licking Sabine, putting two fingers back in her as she began flicking at her clit.

As his erection flared back to life, Edwin stroked himself slowly as he watched the scene unfold. He moved his other hand to Sabine's gag and removed it, grinning down at her face. "Well, do you like what Elera's doing to you, Sabine?"

"Y-yes…" Sabine murmured, squirming as Elera eagerly ate her out.

"Then say thank you to her." Edwin started running his hand through Sabine's hair, maintaining eye contact with her.

Sabine arched her back as Elera dug her face in deeper. "Thank you, Elera! I… you're beautiful too!"

Edwin leaned in and kissed Sabine, stopping any further words as he grabbed her tits, pinching the nipples roughly. After a minute Sabine broke off the kiss and cried out, her body shuddering as she fell limp. She began breathing heavily, eyes half-opened in a daze as she tried to regain her wits.

"My, my! You really did like that, didn't you?" Elera looked quite pleased with herself as she sat up, running a hand up and down Sabine's leg. "And thank you for calling me beautiful."

"That was… that was in the heat of the moment…" Sabine gasped as her breath came back to her. Elera just smiled back.

Standing up off the bed, Edwin got the attention of both ladies as he stroked his penis. "Elera. Get on top of Sabine."

Wasting no time Elera crawled over Sabine, her breasts brushing against Sabine's. She looked over her shoulder innocently and shook her ass. "Like this?"

"Perfect" Edwin said simply, kneeling behind Elera as he grabbed her waist and lined himself up with her pussy. With a grunt Edwin thrust inside her and began slowly fucking her, building up a rhythm.

"Faster… harder..." Elera muttered, her breathing quickening as Edwin began to pick up speed. She looked down to Sabine, who was staring back at her, and without a word the two kissed. As Edwin began thrusting harder, Elera broke the kiss and cried out wordlessly as har arms gave way and she fell against Sabine, wrapping her arms around the elf as Edwin continued to pound her.

"Don't think I forgot about you" Edwin said, looking Sabine in the eye. He reached one hand down and stroked her clit for a moment before pulling out of Elera and thrusting into her. Now Sabine cried out as Edwin began fucking her with gusto.

Though Elera looked a bit disappointed, she shook her ass invitingly. "Edwin… can you try spanking me too?"

"Well, if you insist" Edwin said as he reared back and slapped Elera's ass. Not as hard as he could, but certainly hard enough to leave a mark. He paused before slapping again to judge the effect.

"A little harder… I can take it" Elera moaned as she linked her fingers with Sabine's. Rearing his hand back, Edwin hit her with a much louder slap, Elera bit her bottom lip and groaned in satisfaction.

"You really are a naughty girl, aren't you? Admit it!" Edwin asked, pulling out of Sabine as he thrust back into Elera. He began humping against her as he spanked her ass again.

"It's true… I'm so naughty…" Elera squeezed Sabine's hands tighter. "I'm sorry I'm such a bad girl…"

Laughing, Edwin smacked her ass a few more times as he spoke. "Well, you're lucky! I fucking love bad girls! So I think I'll keep you. Isn't that great?"

"Y-you're such a kind master… thank you..." Elera muttered, and Edwin could see that she was beginning to drool out of the corner of her mouth. "C-could you stroke my tail, master?" Elera asked, a bit shyly despite the circumstances.

"Like this?" Edwin asked, moving his hand to her tail. Barely touching the tail with his fingertips he moved from the tip down to the base, enjoying the feel of her sensitive flesh.

"Y-yes!" Elera cried, hugging herself close to Sabine. Edwin could feel Elera tightening around his penis and he pulled himself out of her, still quite hard.

Without wasting a moment, Edwin plunged back into Sabine now, making her gasp out loud. As he began thrusting into her harder, his hand came down and slapped at her thigh. "Tell me Sabine. Who am I?" he asked, establishing eye contact.

"You're my master. The man I love" she responded simply, as if it was obvious. "Make me yours, master… fill me with your seed. I'm so jealous of Mitzi, I thought I would be the first. I want to give you a child as well."

"Well… you DO deserve a reward I suppose…" Edwin said offhandedly, not able to quite hold in his smile. As he continued to fuck Sabine, Elera got up slowly on her knees as she straddled Sabine's stomach. Reaching down Elera ran her hands over Sabine's breasts, clearly enjoying the feel for a moment before she bent down and started licking Sabine along the collarbone.

This two-pronged attack was clearly working wonders on Sabine, which was good because Edwin felt himself beginning to near his own climax as well. Putting his hands on Sabine's waist he lifted her rear into the air to allow himself a better position as he thrust into her savagely. There was something about the fact that he was trying to impregnate Sabine that felt very satisfying to him. It was probably just the simple pleasure of knowing that she wanted him so desperately. Rearing back a hand, Edwin slapped Sabine's ass hard. "I-I'm about to come" he murmured before smacking her again.

"Me too" Sabine gasped. "Please do it inside me, master!"

After another few minutes of fucking Edwin finally thrust inside Sabine one last time as his fingers came down to play with her clitoris. He felt her pussy tighten even as he came himself, filling Sabine up. He stayed like that for a moment, regaining his breath before finally pulling out and sitting down on the bed with a huff. "Well… that was pretty good" Edwin said casually as he got up and pulled a waterskin from his bag and took a long sip before passing it to Elera, who was climbing off Sabine.

"Thank you." Elera gratefully took a long drink before handing it off to Sabine. She got up off the bed and moved to Edwin, hugging him from behind and pressing her tits into his back. "You were so damn confident… it was extremely sexy." Elera began kissing his neck as she ran one hand over his stomach.

"You really are pushing your luck" Sabine said with a frown, standing up and moving to Edwin as well. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her breasts into his chest. ""You were very good tonight though" she said with a smile, kissing Edwin long and slow.

"Girls, as much as I'd love to keep this up, we DO have places to be tomorrow. Why don't we pick this up in a couple days? I believe it was going to be your night then, Elera. I hope you don't mind if Sabine joins us?"

"No, not at all." Elera looked quite pleased with the idea as she reached out and gently stroked Sabine's face.

"Well… I suppose I won't say no to another night with the master…" Edwin wanted to laugh, Sabine sounded so reluctant but he could feel her squirming with anticipation against him.

"It's settled then." Edwin broke free of their grasp as he moved to the bed. Grabbing the edge of the sheet he had laid down for the wax, Edwin pulled it aside. Climbing inside, he arranged himself comfortably in the middle. He grinned with satisfaction as each girl climbed in bed to either side of him and snuggled up, Sabine reaching over briefly to blow out the candles. "Goodnight, ladies" he said as he relaxed and closed his eyes.

"Goodnight, master" both replied. Edwin's grin didn't fade as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The banging on the door jerked Edwin to life. Sitting up in bed he shrugged off Sabine and Elera's arms, who were slowly awakening to either side of him. "Hey, Edwin! Sabine! Wake up, we're making breakfast!" came Reni's voice from the other side of the door. The knob turned and the door rattled in the frame. Edwin breathed a sigh of relief, he had actually remembered to lock the door this time. To his dismay however, there was the clicking of metal in the lock and before he could say anything the door was thrust open. Reni pocketed the pieces of metal she had used before looking up and stopping in her tracks. She looked shocked only for a moment as Elera and Sabine sat up in bed alongside him. "Geez, Edwin… you couldn't even wait two days, could you?"

"Huh?" Edwin asked, confused.

"Elera!" Reni cried, throwing her hands in the air. "You just couldn't keep your hands off her, could you? What, did you jump all over her or something?"

"Oh no, it's nothing like that." Elera blushed as she looked down at her lap. "I… it was my fault. I came to Edwin's room last night, and things got a little crazy…"

"No, no…" Reni walked over to Elera, patting her consolingly on the shoulder as she glared at Edwin. "You had no way of knowing that this guy is an absolute beast. Well?"

"Huh?" Edwin asked again, his brain not quite up to speed yet.

"You pounced all over this poor girl last night, didn't you? Just couldn't help banging two blue girls at once, hmm?" Reni asked him incredulously. "I thought you had just a little more self control than that."

"Hey… wait a second." Edwin replied slowly, glaring briefly at Elera before glancing towards Sabine. "It wasn't anything like that. Tell them Sabine."

Sabine looked back at him, and for a moment Edwin relaxed as she smiled. "He's right… it wasn't his fault." The smile turned sly and playful as she glanced away from his face. "He's only a mortal man. If a beautiful young lady who's promised herself to him appears in his room, then we shouldn't be surprised if he's given to temptation."

"Hey, just a second…" Edwin narrowed his eyes as he glared at Sabine, who pointedly avoided his gaze.

Sighing dramatically, Reni shook her head and headed for the door. "I suppose… well, either way you three get dressed. We have some breakfast, and then you and I are going to have a little talk about your libido Edwin." Without waiting for a response Reni left the room, shutting the door behind herself.

"Well, I guess I'll get dressed" Elera said casually as she stood up off the bed, stretching.

"Yes, I wonder what they're making for breakfast" Sabine replied as she started to get up off the bed as well.

Edwin shot his hand out, grabbing Sabine by the shoulder and throwing her back down on the bed. Reaching out, he snagged Elera by the waist and pulled her roughly onto the bed. "Just a minute. You think you two can just embarrass me like that and get away with it?" His hands still on her waist, Edwin flipped Elera onto her stomach with some effort. Wasting no time, Edwin reared back and smacked her ass hard, making Elera yelp in surprise. "I am going to punish the hell out of you two for this" he growled. "Sabine, you turn over and wait your turn. Elera, tell me you're sorry."

As Sabine turned over obediently, the grin on her face telling Edwin that she had been hoping for this, Elera looked up into his face. "B-but they might hear us…" she muttered, moaning with a combination of pleasure and pain as he spanked her harder.

"I don't give a FUCK" Edwin snarled as he smacked her repeatedly. "Now, tell me that you've been a bad girl, and that you're sorry!"

"I-I'm so sorry…" Elera muttered, hands gripping the sheets tight. "I've been bad… please teach me proper."

"Don't forget me, master" Sabine whined, shaking her ass.

Hoping that he wasn't being too loud, Edwin took his sweet time getting downstairs that morning as he disciplined both girls thoroughly.

* * *

It was later on that evening as Edwin settled down on the bed in his apartment, Mitzi settled comfortably in his lap as the rest of the girls sat expectantly in a circle. Breakfast had been awkward, both Reni and Mitzi had given him the cold shoulder and a noticeably smaller portion of food, but thankfully both had cooled off when it became apparent that Elera wasn't upset. Everyone had made their way back to Dalaran before Edwin's parents returned, and later they gathered back up to try discussing the issue of building a house. Once again everyone had written down a location they thought would be good and they would discuss things. Elera had been quite excited at the idea, her smile persisting even now as Mitzi mixed up the slips of paper.

"Alright…" Mitzi said as she reached down into the cloth sack, picked one at random and opened it up. "Darkshore."

Though it wasn't his suggestion, Edwin found himself seriously considering the idea. He had been to Darkshore before, though a bit gloomy it was a nice enough place. "I don't think I would mind, though it might be weird being around Night Elves so much."

"I find the area quite agreeable. I've been there many times myself." Elera smiled at the thought. "I understand if everyone doesn't like the suggestion."

"Hmm…" Reni looked skeptical. "I'd like to live somewhere a little less… wet." Edwin was pretty sure she was uncomfortable about living near an Alliance race from the way she looked.

"Well, it's an idea anyway. The next suggestion is-" Mitzi began, but was cut off by an urgent knock at the door.

Curiously, Sabine got up off the bed and made her way to the door, opening it up up to reveal a smiling Biyu carrying something on her shoulder, who brushed past her with a smile. "Hello! And thanks, Sabine! This thing is heavy." With a grunt Biyu placed a cask on the ground, sighing with relief as she pulled up a chair to the bed and sat down. "I just got back from doing some missions… man, I'm beat. How did things go with the priests, Mitzi?" Seeming to notice Elera for the first time, Biyu smiled. "Oh and who's this? A new girl?" She extended a hand. "I'm Biyu."

"My name is Elera. It's very nice to meet you too." Elera looked just a bit unnerved in the face of Biyu's boundless enthusiasm, but she still smiled back as she shook Biyu's hand. "Um… so, are you… part of the group?" she asked uncertainly, glancing at Edwin.

Biyu's eyes widened and she laughed out loud as she looked from Elera to Mizi and Edwin. "Oh, you're… right." After a moment to compose herself, Biyu grinned. "I guess so?" Reni and Sabine's frowns indicated that they very much disagreed but neither spoke up, choosing instead to huddle up and whisper darkly to one another. "So, how did it go?" Biyu asked Mitzi, looking intrigued.

Mitzi smiled at Biyu. "Everything went fine. They said I'm pregnant, and that they'll make sure nothing happens."

"That's great!" Biyu hugged Mitzi tightly and kissed her on the cheek as she smiled up at Edwin, her eyes shining. "I'm so happy for you two. Congratulations. Let me know if there's ever anything I can do to help."

"Thank you Biyu." Mitzi looked emotional as well as she wiped her eyes.

"We'll probably take you up on that offer soon" Edwin said with a grin. "Thank you, Biyu."

Letting Mitzi go, Biyu looked down at the small cloth sack in Mitzi's hand with interest. "Oh, what's going on?"

"Well, I'm going to be building a house for us all to live, so we need to find a place to build it. We've just been discussing ideas" Edwin explained.

"Oh, I've got a great idea for that!" Reaching out to the paper they had torn into strips, Biyu picked up a piece and found the stub of pencil they were using, scribbling down her idea and folding it up before placing it in the bag. Mitzi smiled as she mixed it up with the others but once again Sabine and Reni looked annoyed.

There was a dramatic moment where Mitzi reached in and pulled out another slip of paper. "The Valley of the Four Winds in Pandaria." Mitzi looked up to Biyu along with everyone else, a skeptical look on their faces. "Why do you think Pandaria would be such a good idea?"

Biyu looked completely unfazed by the reaction, nodding smugly. "Well, it's pretty simple. I told you that my father owns a brewery there, right? It's not quite as impressive as the Stormstout Brewery, but he owns a large amount of land. But anyway, he actually gave me a couple of acres and told me that I could do what I wanted with it a few years ago. It's a nice area, not too far from town but not very close either." She smiled at Edwin and Mitzi. "I wouldn't mind giving it to you. Provided I could live with you of course."

"Wow… Biyu, are you sure about that? It sounds like that… might be a family thing or something" Edwin finished lamely.

"He's right, we'd feel bad about taking it from you" Mitzi said awkwardly, looking down at her lap.

Reaching out, Biyu pulled Mitzi into a hug. "You two are very special to me… I'm sure."

"Well, I suppose we'd still need to discuss it. What do you girls think?" Edwin asked to the rest.

"I like the idea, to be honest. Pandaria is a beautiful land." Elera said with a smile.

"Pandaren really don't seem to care as long as you have alcohol…" Reni said thoughtfully. "I need to think about this, but it's not a bad idea."

"Well, I've never been to Pandaria." Sabine crossed her arms, a stubborn frown on her face. "I'd have to see this place before I make any decisions."

"Of course!" Biyu grinned happily as she got up and moved the cask to the table. "So, pretty good idea, huh? I say we all drink to it!" She began to set up the cask, ready to tap it.

"We still have suggestions to read off!" Sabine looked quite pissed now as she fumed.

"Maybe we should have just a quick drink." Elera smiled innocently to everyone else as she looked demurely into her lap. "Biyu did go through the trouble of bringing it here for us after all."

"Yeah, I could drink." Reni's ears perked up as she got off the bed and retrieved some mugs Edwin kept in his room.

"That's the spirit!" Biyu hesitated and glanced at Mitzi, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Oh right. I uh… picked up some pineapple juice for you." Reaching into her bag, Biyu took out a large bottle of the stuff and handed it over. "I figured…"

"Right. I'm not drinking right now." Mitzi didn't look offended at all, smiling gratefully and taking the bottle. "Thank you, Biyu. You're very sweet."

Rubbing the back of her head with a bashful smile, Biyu waved it away. "You're too nice, teach. Edwin, want a drink?"

"Sure." Kissing Mitzi briefly, Edwin got up of the bed. "A couple of drinks wouldn't hurt."

Of course it didn't stop at a couple of drinks, and as the night rolled on and the cask was slowly drained everyone had a good, loud time together.

* * *

Late that evening, long after Edwin had gone back to Dalaran, Mary and William got back to their home. Both were quite somber, faces nearly blank as they shuffled about, hardly speaking. Mary began getting dinner ready while William went to go write a couple of letters.

It was when both sat down for dinner that they finally looked at each other properly and Mary sighed. "...Should we send Edwin a letter?"

William didn't answer at first as he took a few sips of his soup. "I don't think so" he finally replied. "We can tell him the next time he's back. I don't think we should be distracting him when we don't know what's going on out there."

Though Mary wanted to argue, she found herself nodding. "I suppose you're right. I don't like it but… we'll tell him next time." Mary was quiet for a few more minutes, eating quietly at her meal before shaking her head. "Poor Abigail… I wish there's more we could do for her."

Opening his mouth, William looked like he wanted to say something. However he hesitated and closed his mouth slowly. He couldn't seem to find the words, so he just nodded and went back to his meal.


End file.
